Dragonheart - Stand by the grey stone
by DragonHeart111
Summary: By accident, Maddie teleports from Camelot to Middle-earth. A wizard askes her to join a company of Dwarves on a quest to retrieve their homeland. A story of love, madness, danger and adventure.
1. The beginning

**I don't own Merlin or the Hobbit, only my OC Maddie. This is my first fanfic. Reviews are welcome.  
Based on the story: ''Merlin's Unexpected Journey'' by ''Brightfire15''.** **Special thanks to my sister who helped me correcting grammar mistakes and gave me useful tips.**

* * *

 _It began long ago... in a land far away to the east. The like of which you will not find in the world today..._

 _There was the city of Dale. Its markets known far and wide. Full of the bounties of vine and vale. Peaceful and prosperous._

 _For this city lay before the doors of the greatest kingdom in Middle-earth: Erebor._

 _Stronghold of Thror, King Under the Mountain. Mightiest of the Dwarf Lords. Thror ruled with utter surety, never doubting his house would endure, for his line lay secure in the lives of his son, Thrain, and grandson, Thorin._

 _Ah, Erebor. Built deep within the mountain itself the beauty of this fortress city was legend. Its wealth lay in the earth in precious gems hewn from rock and and in great seams of gold, running like rivers through stone. The skill of the Dwarves was unequaled, fashioning objects of great beauty out of diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire._

 _Ever they delved deeper, down into the dark. And that is where they found it... the Heart of the Mountain. The Arkenstone._

 _Thror named it ''The King's Jewel''. He took it as a sign. A sign that his right to rule was divine. All would pay homage to him, even the great Elven King, Thranduil._

 _But the years of peace and plenty were not to last. Slowly the days turned sour and the watchful nights closed in._

 _Thror's love of gold had grown too fierce. A sickness had begun to grow within him. It was a sickness of the mind. And where sickness thrives... bad things will follow._

 _The first thing they heard was a noise like a hurricane, coming down from the north. The pines on the mountain creaked and cracked in the hot, dry wind._

 _It was a firedrake from the north. Smaug had come._

 _Such wanton death was dealt that day in Dale. For this city of Men was nothing to Smaug. His eyes were set on another prize, for dragons covet gold with a dark and fierce desire._

 _Erebor was lost, for a dragon will guard his plunder as long as he lives._

 _Thranduil would not risk the lives of his kin against the wraith of the dragon. No help came from the elves that day... nor any day since._

 _Robbed of their homeland, the Dwarves of Erebor wandered the wilderness. A once mighty people brought low. The young Dwarf prince took work where he could find, laboring in the villages of Men._

 _But always he remembered the mountain smoke beneath the moon, the trees like torches blazing bright. For he had seen dragon fire in the sky and a city turned to ash._

 _And he never forgave... and he never forgot._

* * *

60 YEARS LATER

BREE - ON THE BORDER OF THE SHIRE

Thorin walked through the many streets of Bree trying to find a tavern to shelter from the rain.

Bree was a city of Men and Hobbits. Hobbits, also known as Halflings, looked like ordinary men, but were half the size of a fullgrown man and had huge heary feet. The reason why there were both humans and Hobbits in Bree was because it lay on the border of the Shire (where the Hobbits lived) and the kingdoms of Men. But Thorin was no human, nor a Hobbit. He was a Dwarf.

After a few minutes of searching (after all, the town wasn't very big), he saw a building with ''The Prancing Pony'' on it. By the looks of it, it was definitely a tavern. Quickly he stepped inside and his soaked body welcomed the warmth.

He sat down at a table and stopped a serving girl to order a simple meal. Apparently the cheapest thing was meat with cheese and a beer, so that's what he ordered. After she had left, he took his pipe out to be occupied until his food came. While smoking, he looked at the bar. The barkeeper was a friendly chap, with brown hear and a brown moustache. He was laughing about a joke one of his guests had made and tended to a hobbit whose feet were dangling under his barstool. There was also a black cat sitting on the bar, hoping the barkeeper would spill some crums. Two other Hobbits were sitting at the other end of the bar. Apparently they had drunk quite a lot, because they were loudly singing ''The Green Dragon''. The serving girl returned with a plate filled with food and a pint.

Suddenly Thorin got a feeling. A feeling like someone was watching him. He looked around. At the right of him sat a fat man in a corner watching him. His head was shaved but he had an enormous moustache and piercing eyes. He didn't look all too friendly.

Slowly Thorin turned his head around to see the rest of the room. Left of him, at the window, sat another man watching him. This one had black hear and a black beard and a face also not too friendly. And as Thorin was watching him, he and the fat man stood up and began walking towards him. Thorin looked from one to the other and moved his hand towards his sword. This was going to be trouble.

Suddenly the two men stopped moving as a person took place in the seat across the table of Thorin. Surprised Thorin looked at the man. He was all dressed in grey: A grey gown, a grey coat and a grey pointy hat. Even his beard was grey. But whatever his age was, his bright blue eyes pierced right into Thorin's soul. 'Mind if I join you?' the grey man asked Thorin and he stopped the serving girl and told her: 'I'll have the same.' The man turned his attention back to Thorin.

'I should introduce myself. My name is Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey...'. Thorin had already suspected who the man was. The famous wizard Gandalf the Grey was recognizable by his grey clothes. 'I know who you are,' he said.

Gandalf smashed his hands together. 'Well now. This is a fine chance...' Thorin wondered what the wizard meant by that. Gandalf slightly tilted his head. 'What brings Thorin Oakenshield to Bree?'

Thorin looked at his feet. He'd rather not tell about something that lay so close to his heart, but he didn't fancy being turned into a toad. He decided to tell the truth. 'I received word that my father had been seen wandering the Wilds near Dunland. I went looking but I found no sign of him.'

Gandalf sighed. 'Thorin, it's been a long time since anything but rumor was heard of Thrain.' Quickly Thorin looked up to Gandalf. No. He knew that Gandalf was trying to say that his father was probably dead. But he just couldn't accept that. 'He still lives. I'm sure of it,' he replied.

Both of them fell to silence because the serving girl arrived with Gandalf's food. After she had left Thorin asked the question that lay on the tip of his tong. 'My father came to see you before he went missing... What did you say to him?'

'I urged him to march upon Erebor, to rally the seven armies of the Dwarves, to destroy the dragon and take back the Lonely Mountain,' Gandalf replied. He leaned closer to emphasize his next words. 'And I would say the same to you. Take back your homeland.'

Thorin leaned back in his chair and raised his cup to drink. 'This is no chance meeting, is it, Gandalf?' he asked before he took a gulp of his beer.

'No. It is not.' Gandalf retrieved something out of his pocket. Thorin couldn't see what is was because Gandalf was hiding it in his hand.

'That dragon has sat there long enough. Sooner or later, darker minds will turn towards Erebor,' the wizard continued.

Thorin frowned. What did Gandalf mean by that? He didn't get time to dwell on it because Gandalf continued: 'I ran into some unsavory characters whilst travelling on the Greenway. They mistook me for a vagabond.'

Thorin chuckled. 'I imagine they regretted that.'

Gandalf put the secret object he had held in his hand on the table in front of Thorin and said: 'One of them was carrying a message.'

Thorin bent over to have a better look at the object. It was a piece of leather. There was something written on it in a language he didn't know. 'It is Black Speech,' Gandalf said. Thorin looked up to Gandalf. Black Speech? That speech was only used by dark folk, with bad intensions.

Gandalf continued: 'A promise of payment.' A payment? Thorin thought. Why would a group of unsavory characters have a promise of payment? Obviously someone had hired them to do something. But what? So Thorin asked: 'A payment for what?'

Gandalf looked at Thorin without blinking. 'Your head.' Shocked Thorin looked at Gandalf. Who would want him dead?

Gandalf leaned closer to Thorin. 'Thorin, you can wait no longer. You are the heir to the Throne of Durin. Unite the armies of the Dwarves. Together you have the might and power to retake Erebor. Summon a meeting of the seven Dwarf families. Demand they stand by their oath.'

Thorin had already thought about that, but there was no use. There was one important thing that Gandalf forgot.

'The seven armies swore that oath to the one who wields the King's Jewel. It's the only thing that will unite them. And in case you have forgotten: that jewel was stolen by Smaug,' Thorin shot back.

'And what if I were to help you reclaim it?'

Thorin looked at Gandalf trying to see if he meant that. Gandalf looked back with a face that made it clear he wasn't joking.

'How?' Thorin asked. 'The Arkenstone lies half a world away, buried deep beneath the feet of a fire breathing dragon.'

Gandalf nodded. 'Yes it does.' His eyes began to twinkle. 'Which is why we're going to need a burglar.'

* * *

THE VALLEY OF THE FALLEN KINGS - CAMELOT

'Did we lose them?'

'I hope so.'

Maddie kept running. She, Merlin, Arthur and a few knights had been on a hunting trip when they had accidentally walked into a trap of Morgana. They managed to escape and were trying to shake her off. Maddie had been the only girl allowed to go on the trip because she was a good tracker. A little bit like a ranger. No animal could pass her unseen.

Maddie glanced at Merlin. She had known him since she was four years old. He had been eight years old at the time. She still remembered the day she met him. She had been all alone in the forest next to the village Ealdor. Luckily, Merlin had been collecting firewood for his mom. That's how he found her. He had taken her to his home where his mother - after she found out the girl didn't know her parents - had decided to take her in.

That was a thing Maddie was often troubled about. She didn't know her parents. She didn't know anything about who she was and where she had come from. She couldn't remember anything.

Well, she had lived most of her life in Ealdor with Merlin and his mother. But... she didn't feel like she belonged there. Of course she liked Merlin and Hunith and they were the nicest people imaginable. But it didn't feel like a real family. She had spent most of her youth in the forest (that was probably why she was a bit like a ranger), thinking about her past. But all she could remember was a green flash.

Ten years ago Merlin had left Ealdor to go to Camelot and live with his uncle, Gaius, who also was the court physician. By accident Merlin had become the manservant of (at that time still) prince Arthur. It was a bit strange, that Merlin worked for a king in a kingdom where magic was forbidden. But of course, it was Merlin's destiny to protect the Once and Future King, so he stayed, hoping that one day Arthur would know his secret.

Three years ago Maddie had followed Merlin's example and had gone to Camelot to live with Gaius. Gaius taught her the skills of a physician and Merlin helped her with her magic.

Yes, just like Merlin, she had magic. Most of her magic she used by accident or on instinct, but she had read Merlin's book of magic, so she did know some spells. She had had her magic for as long as she could remember, but she didn't know whether she was born with it or not. That answer lay in her unknown past.

'Hurry up!' Arthur's voice brought her back to reality.

After the hunting group had escaped, Arthur had decided to go into the Valley of the Fallen Kings, because he was sure Morgana wouldn't follow them in there. Merlin had been against it, because the Valley of the Fallen Kings was a dangerous place, but Arthur was a stubborn man. So now they were running through the Valley with the last light of day.

' _Maddie..._ ' Maddie looked around. Did someone just whisper her name? Or was it just her imagination? ' _Maddie..._ ' 'Did you hear that?' she asked Merlin. He looked confused. 'Hear what?' Before she could tell him Arthur shouted: 'Alright, let's rest for a moment to catch our breaths.' Most of the knights sat down on the ground and began complaining about painful feet. Merlin followed their example.

There it was again. That whisper. ' _Maddie..._ ' It came left from her. But there was nothing there but a wall of stone. Or was there? When Maddie looked more closely she could see a gap in the wall. From a distance it just looked like a shadow.

Maddie knew she had to stay with the group but she also wanted to know where the whispers came from. ' _Maddie..._ ' Her curiosity won the battle. Silently, she backed away from the group and sneaked into the gap.

After her eyes were accustomed to the dark, she could see that she was standing in a tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, she could see a blue light. ' _Maddie..._ ' She started walking again. When she'd finally reached the end of the tunnel, she was standing in huge cave filled with crystals that shined a blue light. Maddie had never seen anything like it before. But if the things she had read in Gaius' books were true, it had to be the Crystal Cave. According to the myth, it was the birthplace of magic. Powerful sorcerers could see the future in the Crystals. She was most likely not strong enough to see the future. Perhaps Merlin... But not her.

' _Maddie..._ ' The crystals were calling her. A thrush flew into the cave with a nut in his beak. He flew to a big, grey rock with a crystal on it in the middle of the cave. There he sat down and knocked the nut on the rock in an attempt to open it. Maddie smiled at the sight and walked towards the thrust. ' _Maddie..._ ' Her eyes were drawn to the crystal and she was shocked by the vision she saw.

 _A battle. A terrible battle. All around her was the stench of blood and death and dead bodies lay scattered around. Here and there a few knights were still fighting. And then there was Arthur. He just looked up from a man he had killed. His eyes filled with surprise as he saw the new enemy that faced him. It was Mordred. His eyes were full of hate and anger. The two men fought and Arthur would have won if he hadn't tripped over a dead body and fallen on his back. Mordred looked at Arthur with a sick smile. He changed his grip on his sword and raised it, ready to stab Arthur's heart._

She heard voices behind her. Merlin and the others were probably looking for her. She turned around to face the entrance of the cave. Merlin and Arthur were just entering the cave.

Then, everything became blurry. Distantly, she heard Arthur calling out her name. A flash of green blinded her eyes. And then... darkness.


	2. A request

**I don't own Merlin or the Hobbit, only my OC's Maddie and Nutt. Based on the story ''Merlin's Unexpected Journey'' by ''Brightfire15''. Contains a little bit Pirates of the Caribbean. Sorry this chapter took so long. Reviews are welcome.**

* * *

THE OLD FOREST ON THE BORDER OF BUCKLAND

Maddie woke up to the sound of birds and rustling trees.

She opened her eyes and looked up. Above her were the green tops of trees. Her legs seemed to dangle in the air. That's odd, she thought.

She heard a stump and a vibration went trough her body. The treetops above her seemed to move. Another stump and another vibration realized that someone was carrying her. Who could it be? She turned her head and looked surprised at a tree with huge brown eyes.

Maddie blinked. A _tree_ was _carrying_ her. After she finally realized it, she started to scream.

'Aaaaah! Put me down! Who are you? Where am I?'

To her surprise the tree started to speak: 'Now now, calm down, young girl. I'm Nutt a Tree Herder of the Old Forrest of Buckland. That's also the place where we are right now.'

Maddie frowned. She didn't know a place called Buckland. 'I thought I was in the Valley of the Fallen Kings,' she said. That was at least the last place she remembered where she'd been.

Now Nutt seemed to frown, for as far as trees can frown. 'I haven't heard that name before. Is it that place where all those mushrooms grow?' he asked.

Maddie shook her head. Mushrooms? What was Nutt talking about? ' _W_ _here_ is Buckland?' she asked.

'Near the Shire, in Middle-earth,' Nutt answered

Shire? Middle-earth? Maddie had never heard of a place called Middle-earth. And she was pretty sure that there wasn't a place called like that anywhere in the five kingdoms. But Maddie also didn't think Nutt was lying. He spoke about Middle-earth like she was supposed to know that place.

'How did you find me?' she asked.

Nutt looked at her and spoke: 'I was walking through the forest when a green flash illuminated the sky. I went to investigate and found you.'

Maddie frowned. The last thing she had seen before she'd woken up was a green flash. But what did it mean?

'I'm taking you to young master Gandalf,' Nutt continued.

'And who is that?' Maddie asked.

'Gandalf the Grey is one of the Five Wizards. He's very wise. He's travelling through the forest right now. When I found you, I decided to take you to him. He'll know what to do,' Nutt answered calmly.

* * *

Gandalf walked down the forest road.

He was grumpy. He had just visited a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins in the Shire. He had hoped that the Hobbit would join him and the Dwarves on the quest to retrieve Erebor. But unfortunately, Bilbo had refused.

So now Gandalf was walking back to Bree. Fourteenth member or not, he had planned to meet with the rest of the company tonight.

Suddenly he heard stumps behind him. He turned around to see Nutt walking towards him.

Gandalf was quite fond of Nutt. Nutt had once saved his life when another tree had tried to kill him. They had become good friends.

'Young master Gandalf,' Nutt said. 'I found this girl in the forest.'

Nutt bended over and lowered his hand. A young girl climbed of his hand.

She had black hear and blue eyes. She was wearing leather boots, a grey shirt and a leather jacket. She was also carrying with her a big hunting knife and a bag.

The girl looked at Gandalfs beard and raised her eyebrows. Probably, she had expected someone a bit younger because Nutt always called him ''Young master Gandalf''.

'Good morning,' the girl finally spoke.

'What do you mean with ''good morning''?' Gandalf asked with a twinkle in his eyes. 'Do you wish me a good morning or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?'

The girl smiled, knowing that he was just joking.

'What's your name?' he then asked.

'Maddie. It's short for Madelyn,' the girl answered.

Maddie... The name quite suited her, Gandalf thought.

Gandalf then frowned. 'And what, dear Maddie, were you doing in the middle of this forest? It's quite dangerous to travel off-road here.'

'It wasn't my intention to be here. I was in a cave in Camelot when a green flash blinded my eyes. Next thing I knew I woke up here,' Maddie replied.

Gandalfs frown grew even bigger. 'A green flash, you say? I saw today a green flash It happens on rare occasions. Some go their whole lives without ever seeing it. Some claim to have seen it. And some say...'

'... it signals when a soul comes back to this world from the dead,' Nutt finished.

Gandalf didn't like being interrupted in the middle of a story. If looks could kill, Nutt would be no more.

Gandalf turned his attention back to Maddie and said: 'It is also said by some that it signals when a person teleports from one world to another.'

Maddie was shocked. Had she been teleported to another world? She could hardly believe it. But she had to go back. Arthur was in danger. She had seen how Mordred would try to kill him!

'I think the latter is true about me. But I must go back. Can you help me?' she asked Gandalf.

'Maybe you can tell me your story first? Then I can decide whether I can help you or not.'

Maddie hesitated for a moment. Was she able to trust Gandalf? He seemed nice enough, and he hadn't tried to hurt her or anything. 'Alright, but it's a long story.'

'Well now,' Gandalf said. 'At the moment, I'm heading for Bree. Maybe we can talk whilst travelling.'

Gandalf and Maddie said their goodbyes to Nutt and went down the road to Bree.

Maddie started to tell her story. About how she'd lived in Ealdor with Merlin and his mother and later with Merlin and Gaius in Camelot. She also told him about her magic and that she didn't know anything about her parents. She finished her story with the vision and the green flash she had seen in the Crystal Cave.

Gandalf listened carefully and didn't interrupt her once.

By the time she had finished telling her story, they had reached the town. Gandalf led her to what seemed to be the local tavern. It was called ''The Prancing Pony''.

After she and Gandalf had gone inside, she curiously looked around. Here and there a few people were sitting at the bar. The bartender cheerfully waved at Gandalf. Apparently, Gandalf was a regular customer.

Gandalf led her up the stairs, into a room. There was no bed, only a very long table with chairs around it. The sun shined brightly through the windows.

Maddie and Gandalf took place in two of the chairs.

'Well well,' Gandalf said. 'You have quite a story young girl.'

Maddie looked expectantly at Gandalf. 'So... do you know how to get me back?' she asked.

Gandalf shook his head. He looked at the girl with pity in his eyes. He liked her and hated to bring her bad news. 'I'm afraid not,' he answered.

Maddie looked disappointed. 'But I have to go back. My friend is in danger.'

Gandalf nodded in agreement. 'Yes, you do need to go back, and I promise I will do everything in my power to help you, nut even wizards don't know everything. And maybe,' the wizard concluded mysteriously, 'you're here for a reason.'

Maddie thought about Gandalfs words for a second. Then she asked: 'What should I do while I'm being here?'

Gandalf understood the girl's question. If he would be stuck in an unknown place for an unknown time, he would too want to have something to be occupied with. He thought about it for a second. Then an idea began to form in his head.

He slightly tilted his head and said: 'Actually, I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure.'

'An adventure?' Maddie repeated.

Gandalf nodded. 'You have magic and you're most likely quick and light on your feet. That makes you well suited for the job. In the mean time, I'll try to find a way to get you back.'

Maddie knew she could turn away Gandalf's offer, but as one might have guessed from her walks down the forest and her skills in finding trails: 'she was an adventuress and a curious girl and couldn't possible resist Gandalf's offer.

So she answered: 'I'll join you.'

Gandalf smashed his hands together.

'Well now, the rest of the company we'll be traveling with are thirteen Dwarves said.

'Dwarves?' Maddie asked. 'I've never met a Dwarf. What do they look like?'

'They're about three quarters the size of a full-grown man. Most of them have beards. They can be quite stubborn and you don't want to make them angry, but they are quite a merry gathering once you get used to them,' Gandalf answered.

'Oh,' Maddie said. Back in Camelot, Dwarves only appeared in fairytales and myths. Here they seemed to be real like any other person.

'As I was trying to say,' Gandalf continued, 'I'm meeting with the rest of the company here tonight. I still have to arrange some things in town. Stay here until I get back. Ask the bartender for a _lot_ of food and beer. Dwarves have an enormous appetite. Just mention my name and he'll give it to you.

Maddie nodded.

Gandalf walked towards the door, turned around, gave her a smile and closed the door behind him.


	3. A meeting

**Based on the story ''Merlins's Unexpected Journey'' by ''Brightfire15''. I don't own the Hobbit or Merlin.**

* * *

At nightfall. the Dwarves began to arrive. Maddie had gotten a lot of food and that was a good thing too, because the first Dwarf that arrived, Dwalin, immediately started to eat.

Dwalin was a big Dwarf. The top of his head was bold, but there grew long black hair at the sides of his head, and he had a black beard. He also carried a huge axe. Maddie realized she wouldn't like to be this person's enemy. He also had a liking for muffins, she discovered.

Gandalf hadn't arrived yet, but Maddie hoped hoped he would arrive soon.

A few minutes after Dwalin, Maddie heard another knock on the door.

'That'll be the door,' Dwalin said helpfully.

Behind the door stood another Dwarf. This one looked older than Dwalin. He had white hear and a white beard. He looked like a kind and merry chap. He had a nice twinkle in his eyes.

´Balin, at your service,´ the Dwarf said whilst making a bow.

´Good evening,´ Maddie said polite.

´Yes. Yes it is,´ Balin said looking out of the window. ´Though I think it might rain later.´

Balin stepped inside and noticed Dwalin, who was trying to stuff his mouth with all the muffins within his reach.

´Oh! Ha ha! Evening, brother,´ Balin said. walking towards Dwalin.

´By my beard,´ Dwalin replied with a smirk on his face. ´You´re shorter and wider than last time we met.´

´Wider, not shorter,´ Balin contradicted him. ´But sharp enough for both of us.´

They both grinned. Apparently it was an old joke between the two. They smashed their heads together in a way of greeting.

After that, the two brothers Kili and Fili arrived. Fili was the oldest and had blond hair and a blond beard with breads in it. He also carried a big sword and lots of knifes.

Kili, the younger of the two, had brown hear and no beard, just some stubble on his chin. He too had a sword, but also carried a bow and a quiver full of arrows.

They both went over to Balin and Dwalin to talk. Maddie didn't understand much of their conversation, because they were talking in a language unknown to her. It was Dwarvish, she presumed.

After five minutes another knock was heard, and when Maddie opened the door, Gandalf stumbled in with what seemed like a dozen other Dwarves, but turned out to be no more than eight.

Now there were, besides Maddie and Gandalf: Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bombur, Dori, Nori and Ori.

Maddie wondered what the bartenderwould thnk of all the Dwarves entering his tavern.

Maddie counted the Dwarves. ´Gandalf, I only count twelve Dwarves. I thought you said that there would be thirteen. Where is the last one?´ she asked.

Dwalin answered her question. ´He´s late, that´s all. He travelled north to a meeting of our kin. He will come.´

One of the Dwarves, Bofur, then asked: 'And who is this young girl?'

All the Dwarves looked expectantly at Maddie.

'I'm Maddie,' she answered.

'Maddie's going to be the fourteenth mamber of our company,'Gandalf explained.

All the Dwarves stared at Maddie. She could easily read their faces: A _girl_? Going on an adventure? Maddie began to feel uncomfortable under their gazes.

Luckily, Balin draw their attention away from her by saying: 'Well, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry, and I would like to eat.'

The other Dwarves mumbled in agreement, sat down at the table and started to eat.

Gandalf had invited Maddie to sit beside him. She looked how Bofur and Dwalin took a wager about whether Bombur, who sat at the other end of the table would catch a piece of food that Bofur would trow at him. Bombur did catch it, with his mouth no less, and all the Dwarves cheered.

The Dwarves had the worst eating manners imaginable, but it was a merry gathering, as Gandalf had said before.

Gandalf, Maddie and the Dwarves ate, drank and feasted but all fell to silence when they heard a knock on the door.

Gandalf looked at Maddie and said: ´He is here.´

Gandalf walked towards the door, followed by Maddie and the Dwarves.

Once Gandalf had opened the door, Maddie saw a tall Dwarf. He had black hear and a black beard. His eyes were bright blue. He wore a coat with fur and a big sword.

'Gandalf,' he said as a greeting before walking inside.

Gandalf nodded in return and turned his attention towards Maddie. 'Maddie, allow me to introduce you to the leader of our company: Thorin Oakenshield.'

Thorin stepped in front of Maddie and looked at her from head to toe, as if he was judging her. 'So this is the one who Gandalf choose to be our burglar,' he remarked.

Then he walked around her and asked : 'Tell me, miss Maddie, have you done much fighting? Axe or sword, what's your weapon of choice?'

'I have a few skills in sword fighting. But mostly I use my magic,' Maddie replied.

Thorin raised his eyebrows. 'Magic?' he asked.

Maddie nodded. 'I'm a warlock.'

Thorin turned his attention towards Gandalf and the others and said: 'She looks more like a maid then a burglar.' Most of the Dwarves laughed at their leaders comment.

Maddie didn't think that was fair. How could she help that she wasn't an expert on sword fighting? Back in Camelot girls weren't allowed to fight. Gwaine had thought her a few tricks but still, it wasn't _that_ much.

Hower, no matter how she thought about the matter, it seemed better to her not to say anything about it. But that didn't count for Gandalf.

'Maddie has accidentally teleported to this world and she's coming with us,' he said, angry at the Dwarves laughter.

Thorin rolled his eyes. Probably he now thought that she was coming with them because she didn't have another choice, and not because she had chosen to.

But the other Dwarves looked at her with big eyes. 'You're from another world?' one of them asked.

Maddie nodded. 'Yes, I'm from a place called Camelot.'

The Dwarves asked Maddie a few more questions about Camelot which Maddie tried to answer the best she could.

After that, the group returned to their seats and Maddie gave Thorin a bowl of soup, so that he would at least have something to eat.

'What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?' Balin asked Thorin.

Thorin nodded. 'Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms.'

A hubbub went among the Dwarves. Apparently they had many expectations of that meeting.

'And what did the Dwarves of the Iron Hills say?' Dwalin asked. 'Is Dain with us?'

'They will not come,' Thorin answered. Dwalin and the other Dwarves seemed dissapointed.

'They say this quest is ours...' Thorin continued, '... and ours alone.'

Then Maddie asked Gandalf: 'What quest exactly, Gandalf? You haven't told me that yet.'

Gandalf had invited her to join the adventure, but had not yet enlightened her about the contents of it.

'These Dwarves are about to undertake a journey to reclaim their homeland,' Gandalf expained.

'That's right,' Balin continued, and he told Maddie the story about Erebor and the dragon Smaug.

Maddie listened carefully. She was quite taken back by the story. The Dwarves around her had lost their home by dragon fire. She felt sorry for them and decided that she would do anything she could to help them.

After Balin had finished his story, Gandalf retrieved something out of his pocket.

'Maddie, my dear girl, let us have a little more light,' he requested.

Maddie nodded, mumbled a few words and a small, glowing blue ball appeared above the table. All the Dwarves looked fascinated at her small performance of magic.

'Far to the east,' Gandalf said whilst unfolding a map, 'over ranges and river, beyond woodlands and wastelands lays a single, solitary peak.' Gandalf pointed at a mountain drawn on the piece of paper. ''The Lonely Mountain'' was written next to it.

'Oin has read the portents and the portents say it is time,' Gloin said. The other Dwarves nodded in agreement.

'Ravens have been seeing flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold,' Oin continued. ' ''When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end.'' '

A shiver went through Maddie's back. She had once met the Great Dragon of Camelot, Kilgarrah, and if this dragon was the same size or even bigger and was indeed as horrible as Balin had described, she had the right to be afraid. She wasn't a Dragonlord like Merlin. She wouldn't be able to command Smaug.

'The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen. And not thirteen of the best, nor brightest,' Balin said. An indignant mumbling rose up from the other Dwarves. 'Hey, who are you calling dim?' Nori asked angrily.

'We may be few in number,' Fili said while watching the rest of the group, 'but we're fighters, all of us, to the last Dwarf. And you forget, we have a Wizard and a warlock in our company. Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time.'

Gandalf looked at his feet. He hadn't killed a single dragon in his time and he didn't want to admit that.

Then a discussion rose about how many dragons Gandalf would or would not have killed. 'I've once seen a dragon,' Maddie said, who understood Gandalf was in a difficult position.

Now all eyes were fixed at Maddie. 'And that dragon didn't kill you?' Kili asked.

'No, because this dragon wasn't wicked and obsessed by gold. This dragon had devoted its life to knowledge and helping people.'

The Dwarves looked at her in disbelieve and mumbled to each other. probably, all the dragons in Middle-earth were obsessed by gold, and it was hard for the Dwarves to believe not all dragons were like that.

Suddenly, Thorin stood up and turned them all to silence. 'If Oin has read the signs,' he said, 'do you not think others will have read them too? Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for sixty years.'

Thorin looked at the other Dwarves before continuing: 'Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?'

All the Dwarves cheered at Thorins words until Balin pointed out: 'You forget, the Front Gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain.'

'That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true,' Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eyes. He presented a big key.

Thorin looked astounded at the key. 'How came you by this?' he asked.

'It was given to me by your father, by Thrain, for savekeeping. It is yours now,' Gandalf answered before handing over the key to Thorin.

Thorin looked at the key before putting it on a chain around his neck.

Gandalf pointed at a few runes on the map. 'These runes speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls.'

'There's another way in,' Kili said with an exited expression on his face. Like the rest of the Dwarves, he felt a spark of hope in his chest. This could be exactly what they needed for their quest.

'Well, if we can find it, but Dwarf doors are invisible when closed,' Gandalf observed.

He sighed and said: 'The answer lies somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-earth who can.'

Thorin looked questioning at Gandalf but Gandalf wouldn't clarify his statement. So Thorin didn't press the matter.

Gandalf continued after a few seconds. 'The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage.' Gandalf looked at Maddie, his eyes sparkling. 'But if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done. That's why we need a burglar.'

Now all eyes were fixed on Maddie. Slowly an argument rose about whether she was suited to the job or not, after all, she was only a girl!

Gandalf stood up and he spoke angrily: 'Enough! If I say Maddie is a burglar, then a burglar she is.' All the Dwarves looked up at Gandalf.

'Maddie has magic and has a bit knowledge about dragons. She's probably light on her feet, and while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of Dwarf, the scent of a warlock is all but unknown to him which gives us a distinct advantage,' Gandalf explained.

Gandalf turned his attention towards Thorin. 'You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company and I have chosen miss Maddie. There's a lot more to her then appearances suggest. And she's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know.' Gandalf glanced at Maddie. 'Including herself.'

Gandalf looked back at Thorin with piercing eyes. 'You must trust me on this.'

Thorin sighed. He didn't like the girl and he didn't want her on her quest, but nonetheless he agreed.

'Very well,' he said. 'We will do it your way. Give her the contract.'

Balin nodded and stood up. He walked towards Maddie and gave her a big piece of folded paper.

While Maddie was reading the contract, Thorin said to Gandalf: 'I can't guarantee her safety.'

Gandalf nodded.

'Nor will i be responsible for her fate,' Thorin continued.

Gandalf hesitated for a moment. Then he replied: 'Agreed.'

Maddie had finished reading the contract. They promised her a fourteenth share of the treasure, but weren't responsible for injuries or her death.

'Well, it seems in order,' she said and she signed the contract with a quill Balin gave her.

All the Dwarves stood up, glad that the business part was over.

Balin walked towards Thorin. 'I hope this time the odds aren't against us,' he said. 'After all, what are we? Merchants, miners... tinkers, toymakers. Hardly the stuff of legend.'

'There are a few warriors amongst us,' Thorin said.

'Old warriors,' Balin contradicted him.

'I would take each and every one of these Dwarves over over an army of the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they answered. Loyalty... honour... a willing heart, I can ask no more than that,' Thorin replied.

Balin sighed. 'You don't have to do this. You have a choice. You've done honourably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains. A life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold in Erebor.'

Thorin shook his head and held up the key that Gandalf had given to him. 'From my grandfather to my father,' he said, 'this has come to me. They dreamed of the day the Dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me.'

All the Dwarves gathered around the fire and started to sing. Maddie didn't know the song, so she just listened. First only Thorin was singing, but gradually, the other Dwarves joined in.

' _Far over the misty mountains cold_

 _To dungeons deep and caverns old_

 _We must away, 'ere break of day_

 _To find our long-forgotten gold_

 _The pines were roaring on the height_

 _The winds were moaning in the night_

 _The fire was red, it flaming spread_

 _The trees like torches blazed with light_ '

The singing continued for another half-hour. Then, everyone turned to sleep, dreaming about the adventure awaiting them.


	4. Tales of the past

**I don't own the Hobbit nor Merlin, only my OC Maddie.**

* * *

The next morning, Maddie woke up. For a moment she thought she was in her room in Camelot, and that Gaius would knock on her door and say that breakfast was ready.

But then she remembered: she wasn't in Camelot anymore, but in Middle-earth. And she was about to undertake a dangerous quest to help thirteen Dwarves to reclaim their homeland from a big dragon.

Maddie stood up, packed her bag and went down the stairs.

Gandalf, Thorin, Balin and Dwalin were already having breakfast. Gandalf noticed her and beckoned her to join them.

She walked towards the table and said: 'Good morning.'

Everyone said or mumbled a greeting back, except for Thorin, who just ignored her and focused his attention on the plate of food in front of him.

While Maddie was eating her breakfast (bread and eggs with bacon), the other Dwarves came down with their packed rucksacks and ordered their breakfast.

After everyone had filled their stomachs and Gandalf had paid the huge bill, they went outside to the stables where fourteen ponies and two horses were waiting.

Gandalf walked towards the white horse and told Maddie that the other horse was hers. It was a beautiful black steed, with long manes and intelligent dark eyes.

The other Dwarves walked towards their ponies. The fourteenth one was used to carry extra luggage.

After everyone was ready, the company left Bree.

As soon as the towns gates were behind them, Gandalf and Balin rode aside Maddie.

Maddie watched how a grumpy Dwalin paid a happy Bofur for their wager about whether or not Bombur could catch a piece of food. Bofurs money pouch had suddenly gotten a lot havier.

After an hour of riding Maddie asked: 'Gandalf? Can you tell me a bit more about Middle-earth?'

'Well, there's no harm in knowing a bit about your whereabouts,' Gandalf answered while kindling his pipe.

The next hours while they were travelling, Gandalf told Maddie about the Elves, Dwarves and Men of Middle-earth.

Maddie listened carefully. A few things were the same as in Camelot, but a lot of things weren't.

For example, in Camelot Elves were the helpers of the evil Sidhe, but in Middle-earth they were wise and just creatures.

After a few hours, Gandalf had to stop his storytelling to ride beside Thorin, who had asked his advice on some matters. But Balin took his place and told Maddie more about Erebor and the incredible craftsmanship of the Dwarves.

Maddie liked Balin, and in a few days they became good friends.

And so went the first days of Maddie's journey, mostly riding with Gandalf or Balin and listening to their fascinating stories.

Maddie also got on well with Fili and Kili. The two young brothers were kind and always in for a laugh. And when Maddie would find the track of an animal that would well do as supper, the three of them would go hunting together.

It didn't take long before Maddie got on well with all the Dwarves, except Thorin. He still didn't like her. Apparently, he believed that she was just a burden on his quest and that the moment Gandalf would find a way back to Camelot for her, she would abandon them.

Maddie didn't think that was fair. Yes, she missed Camelot and her friends, but she wouldn't return to Camelot until her job here was done. She had given her word and it was the right thing to do.

* * *

 _'You killed her! You killed Cara!' Mordred shouted as he swung his sword in an attempt to cut off Arthurs head. Arthur blocked Mordreds sword and said: 'I gave her a choice, but she would not change her mind, Mordred.'_

 _Maddie tried to reach Arthur. She knew that soon he would fall on his back and Mordred would stab him. But unfortunately, one of Morgana's men stepped in front of her. She tried to shout Arthurs name, but he didn't hear her._

 _Arthur now had the upper hand and Mordred was driven back. Arthur took another step forward, but then stepped on the arm of one of Morgana's fallen warriors. Arthur tripped and fell._

 _Maddie killed the warrior in front of her and tried to run towards Arthur, but she knew she would be too late._

 _Mordred raised his sword, the blade pointed at Arthurs heart. He had a sick smile on his face. 'Goodbye, Arthur Pendragon.'_

 _Arthur searched for his sword but he could not find it. So he closed his eyes, waiting for his death._

Maddie woke up, breathing heavily. A few tears streamed down her face.

It had been just a dream, but she feared it would become reality. She feared that she wouldn't be on time to save Arthur.

Maddie shook her head and wiped away her tears. She needed to keep faith. She needed to believe that she would be on time.

She stood up. She probably wouldn't get much sleep after her nightmare.

Gandalf and Balin sat together against a rock, smoking their pipes. Fili and Kili, who were standing watch, were sitting at the fire, talking to each other.

Gandalf looked up as Maddie walked towards her horse. She stroked its manes and secretly passed an apple. She smiled when she saw how the horse ate it with a satisfied smirk on its face.

Maddie looked at the landscape beneath her. For two weeks, they had been travelling and tonight, they were camping halfway up a mountain and she could see the tops of trees and a river below her. It was a beautiful sight.

Suddenly, she heard screeching in the distance. 'What was that? A Wilddeoren? Hippogriffs?' she asked Fili and Kili while walking toward them.

'Orcs,' Kili answered while peering in the distance, trying to see something in the dark.

'Orcs?' Maddie asked. She didn't know what an Orc was, but it wasn't something good, judging the looks on Kili's and Fili's faces.

Fili confirmed her suspicions. 'Throat-cutters,' he said. 'There'll be dozens of them out there. The lone lands are crawling with them.'

'They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep,' Kili continued. 'Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood.'

The two brothers glanced at each other and laughed. Maddie understood that they were just trying to scare her and were making fun of her.

'You think that's funny?' Thorin asked, awakened by the screeching. 'You think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?'

Kili looked at his feet under the piercing look of his uncle. 'We didn't mean anything by it.'

'No, you didn't. You know nothing of the world,' Thorin said angrily before walking away and tending to his horse.

Balin looked at Thorin and sighed. He stood up and walked towards Fili, Kili and Maddie.

'Don't mind him laddies. Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs,' he said.

Maddie frowned and looked at Thorin who stood with his back to her, looking at the landscape.

'Do you mind telling me why?' she asked Balin.

'No, I don't,' Balin answered and began to tell Thorins story.

'After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient Dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first.

Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs, led by the most vile of all their race: Azog the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin.

He began by beheading the king.

Thrain, Thorins father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing. Taken prisoner or killed, we did not know.

We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us.

That is when I saw him.' Balin glanced at Thorins back with a proud look on his face.

'A young Dwarf prince facing down the pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe. He fought bravely, but lost both his sword and shield.

His armor rent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield, he grabbed the sword of one of his fallen fellow warriors and sliced off the arm of the pale Orc.

Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken.

Our forces rallied and drove the Orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated.

But there was no feast nor song that night. For our dead were beyond the count of grief. Few had survived.

And I thought to myself then... there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call king,' Balin said and glanced at Thorin again who now turned around.

Maddie glanced at Thorin too. He had suffered so much, she thought. She pitied him.

Then she turned her attention back at Balin and asked: 'And the pale Orc? What happened to him?'

'He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago,' Thorin answered her and walked back to his sleeping spot.

No one but Maddie saw the look Balin and Gandalf exchanged and Gandalfs deep sigh. Apparently, they did not believe Thorins version about the end of the pale Orc, but they didn't voice their doubts out loud.

Maddie feared that this enemy would appear on their path sooner or later.

Maddie returned to her bedroll and tried to sleep.

None of the others, who were still awake, saw the pack of Orcs that was watching them.


	5. Magic and Trolls

**I don't own the Hobbit or Merlin. Sorry this chapter took so long, but here it is.**

* * *

A week past since Balin had told Maddie the story about Azog the Defiler.

At the moment they were travelling trough a forest. It had been raining all morning and most of the compagny was feeling a bit grumpy because they were all soaked to the bone.

'Hey. Mister Gandalf?' Dori asked. 'Can't you do something about this deluge?'

Gandalf sighed and answered: 'It's raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world you should find yourself another Wizard. Or ask dear miss Maddie.'

Maddie didn't bother the rain, but when a few heads turned in her direction pleadingly, she said: 'Alright, I'll try. But weather spells aren't my main forte.'

She mumbled a few words and the rain stopped. All around her she could hear relieved sighs.

Then she asked: 'Gandalf, who are the other Wizards actually?'

'There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman the White. Then there are the two Blue Wizards... I've quite forgotten their names.'

Maddie nodded. 'And who's the fifth?'

'That would be my cousin Radagast the Brown,' Gandalf answered.

'Is he a great Wizard, or is he more like you?'

'He's a very great Wizard in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the compagny of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forestlands to the east, and a good thing too. For always evil will look to find a foothold in this world.'

Maddie thought of Gandalfs words. If there were indeed only five Wizards in Middle-earth, then Gandalf was invaluable to the compagny. On the journey, they would undoubtedly face many enemies and someone wise who possessed magic, like Gandalf, would be very handy.

'Maddie?' Kili then asked. 'Is there much magic folk in your world?'

Maddie lifted her shoulders. 'Once there were many, about the half of the entire population. But then Uther, who was king back then, banned magic and destroyed everyone and everything that possesed it or had anything to do with it. Many Warlocks and Sorcerers, both good and evil, died. But not only them, but also other creatures, like Dragons and Hippogriffs, died under Uthers hand. The survivors were forced into hiding.'

'But why? Why did Uther do that?' Kili and most of the other Dwarves looked horrified at what Maddie had told them. No wonder, it was a horrifying story. Maddie herself had felt the same as the Dwarves when she had heard of Uthers deeds for the first time. She often wondered whether her parents had been two of the executed Warlocks.

Then she answered Fili's question. 'Uthers ban and hatred of magic began when his wife died while giving birth to Arthur. Because Uthers wife, Igraine, couldn't have a baby, Uther had asked the help of a sorceress called Nimueh. She warned Uther, that to create a life, a life had to be taken, but Uther proceeded nonetheless. The life that had to be taken was Igraine's. Uther blamed the death of his wife on all magic and from that point on, magic was banned.'

* * *

That afternoon, Thorin decided to camp next to a ruin of an old house.

While the Dwarves loaded off their horses, Gandalf and Maddie went inside the ruin.

The wood had already rotted which had caused the roof to collapse. The walls were covered with must.

'A farmer and his family used to live here,' Gandalf said.

Maddie felt uncomfortable at the place. Something was wrong. Something terrible had happened to this family and that something might still be out there.

She spoke of her unease to Gandalf.

Gandalf nodded. 'I feel it too.'

He then turned to Thorin, who was walking towards him and Maddie.

'I think it would be wiser to move on,' Gandalf said. 'We could make for the Hidden Valley.'

Thorin sighed. 'I've told you already: I will _not_ go near that place.'

'Why not? The Elves could help us. We could get food, rest and advice. And we have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us,' Gandalf replied.

That wasn't the best thing Gandalf could have said, Maddie thought. She didn't know much about the current relation between Dwarves and Elves, but she knew enough to know that the Dwarves didn't like the Elves.

' _Help_?' Thorin asked angrily. 'A Dragon attacked Erebor. What _help_ came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria and desecrate our sacred halls. The Elves looked on and did nothing. And you ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and my father.'

'You are neither of them,' Gandalf contradicted him. 'I did not give you that map and key for you to hold onto the past.'

'I didn't know they were yours to keep,' Thorin replied.

Gandalf let out a frustated sigh and walked out of the ruin, followed by Maddie.

'Gandalf, where are you going?' she asked.

'to seek the compagny of the only one around here who's got any sense beside you: myself. I've had quit enough of Dwarves for one day.'

Maddie couldn't blame him. She had seen the stubborness of Dwarves for herself.

Gandalf turned towards her and said: 'You must keep an eye on the Dwarves.'

Maddie nodded. 'I will.'

* * *

Later in the evening, Maddie and Kili set out for a hunt, because Maddie had spotted the trail of a young deer. Fili couldn't come, for Thorin had asked him to look after the ponies.

They hadn't caught the deer, for Kili had a cold and had accidentally scared the deer off by sneezing.

Maddie had forgotten the uncomfortable feeling and was joking that Kili had scared the deer off deliberately.

When they returned to the camp, the other Dwarves were gone. Their bedrolls and rucksacks lied scattered around the camp and their fire was dying. The were also big footsteps in the sand.

Maddie and Kili went looking for the others. A few trees were torn out of the ground with roots and all. That didn't look like a good sign. Maddie's feeling of unease returned.

Then Kili saw a fire in the distance and a big creature walking towards it. It was about ten feet high and looked hideous.

'What is it?' Maddie asked.

'Troll,' Kili answered.

A Troll? Maddie thought. She had never met a Troll before, but Merlin had, and he had told her that they were stinky, disgusting and greedy creatures. Apparently, one had been greedy enough to try to marry Uther, Arthurs father, who still had been alive back then.

Kili and Maddie sneaked closer.

It appeared to be three Trolls. All were big and ugly. A few of the missing Dwarves were tied to a spit that was being turned above the fire by one of the Trolls. The other Dwarves were putted in sacks and lay on a pile.

'Don't bother cooking them,' on of the Trolls said. 'Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly.'

Most of the Dwarves shouted rude comments at the Troll for this, who didn't pay any attention on them and just sneezed very loudly and wiped his nose with a dirty, Troll-sized handkerchief.

'Why not eat them raw?' another Troll continued and grabbed one of the Dwarves in the sacks. It turned out to be Fili.

Before Maddie could stop him, Kili jumped out of his hiding spot and attacked the Troll that dared to eat his brother. The Troll screamed because of the wound in his foot where Kili had stabbed him, and dropped Fili.

Kili tried to get away, but the other Trolls caught him and putted him in a sack.

The good thing was that the Troll didn't eat Fili.

The bad thing was that Kili now too was captured.

Maddie had no idea how to deal with these Trolls, so she decided to stay in her hing spot, hoping to come up with an idea.

She didn't have to wait long, for one of the Trolls asked: 'When are we going to eat them? Dawn ain't far away. Let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned to stone.

Bingo, Maddie thought. These Trolls could not move in daylight. Maybe she could use a sunlight-spell. The only problem was that she had never used such a spell before and she didn't know whether she was strong enough or not. But if she wanted to save her friends, she would have to.

She stepped out of her hiding spot, held her hands up and said: ' _Ghrian Sgothan Coltas_.'

Her eyes began to glow in a golden colour and a few beams of sunlight streamed out of her hands and the Trolls turned to stone.

The Dwarves cheered, glad that they wouldn't get eaten and Maddie was surprised that she had been able to summon such power. She'd never known her magic was this strong. She was a bit tired by the spell, but apart from that, she was fine.

Maddie then heard some noise from behind her. It was Gandalf who was just stepping out of the bushes. Apparently he had arrived just on time to see the Trolls being turned to stone.

'My dear Maddie, you truly have some skills in magic,' he said while shaking his head.

Together they freed the Dwarves and returned to their camp.

'Where did you go to, if I may ask?' Thorin asked Gandalf.

'To look ahead,' Gandalf replied.

'What brought you back?'

'Looking behind,' Gandalf answered again with a accusing look on his face.

'Well,' Gandalf continued, 'still, they're all in one piece thanks to Maddie.'

Thorin didn't replie on that. He still didn't like Maddie. He was sure she was going to leave them as soon as she had found a way back to Camelot.

Gandalfs head turned in the direction of the stoned Trolls and frowned.

'They must have come down from the Ettenmoors,' he remarked.

Since when do Mountain Trolls venture this far south?' Thorin asked.

'Not for an age. Not since a darker power rules these lands.'

Thorin frowned and Gandalf continued: 'Apparently, these Trolls can't move in daylight.'

Thorin looked around. 'There must be a cave nearby. Maybe we should find it and see what's there to be found.'

Gandalf agreed, so everyone gathered their stuff and searched for the cave. it had no use to sleep first, for the dawn had already arrived.

The cave was quickly found and Maddie, Gandalf and the Dwarves went inside.

Almost immediately, everyone started to cough, for there was a terrible stench.

'It's a troll-hoard,' Gandalf said. And right he was, for the cave was filled with gold and other richness the Trolls had collected.

While Nori, Gloin and Bofur wereburying a chest full of gold to make a long-term deposit, Thorins attention was drawn by a few swords that were lying in a corner. He grabbed two of them

One had a Dragon tooth as a handle and an anusual shape of the blade. The blade itself wasn't very long, Thorin could handle the sword easily.

The other sword was long and straight, its handle long enough for two hands.

Thorin passed the long sword to Gandalf. 'These swords were not made by any Troll,' he remarked.

'Nor were they made by any smith among Men,' Gandalf continued while taking a closer look on the sword. His eyes grew big as he unshielded it. 'These were forged in Gondolin, by the high Elves of the First Age.'

Thorin pulled a grimace as soon as he heard the word ''Elves'' and wanted to put the sword back, but Gandalf stopped him by saying: 'You could not wish for a finer blade.'

Thorin took another close look at the sword and then decided to keep it.

Gandalf too kept the sword Thorin had given him and buckled it on his belt.

'Let's get out of this foul place,' Thorin said, and Maddie and the other Dwarves followed him outside.

Gandalf hesitated and glanced at the spot where Thorin had found the Elvish swords.

One other blade lied on that spot. It too was an Elvish blade forged in Gondolin. it was a long and elegant sword and just like Gandalfs, it was suited for two hands.

Gandalf grabbed the sword and went outside to Maddie.

'Maddie, this it about your size,' he said before handing the sword over. 'The blade is of Elvish make, wich means it will glow blue when Orcs or Goblins are nearby.'

'Gandalf, I've never used a sword in battle before,' Maddie said while looking at the sword in her hands.

'And I hope you never have to,' Gandalf replied. 'But if you do, remember this: True courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.'

Maddie thought about Gandalfs wise words for a second. But then Thorin began to shout.

'Something's coming!'


	6. Rivendell part I

**Alright, here is chapter 6. Sorry for the waiting period. I don't own the Hobbit or Merlin. Reviews are welcome. How do you think the story continuous?**

* * *

From out of the bushes, a sled led by rabbits came.

On the sled stood a man with birdpoo on his face. He wore a brown gown and a grey hat with a feather in it. He also carried a staff. 'Thieves! Fire! Murder!' the man shouted.

Then he seemed to notice the surprised faces around him.

'Radagast,' Gandalf sighed. 'It's Radagast the Brown.'

The company lowered their weapons.

After Thorin had noticed that something was coming, the company had quickly armed their self, not knowing to expect friend or foe. But if this was indeed Gandalfs cousin Radagast, they wouldn't be needing their weapons.

'What on earth are you doing here?' Gandalf asked Radagast.

'I was looking for you, Gandalf. Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong.'

'Yes?'

Radagast opened his mouth to speak but then shut it again, as if he was forgotten what he wanted to say. 'Just give me a minute...,' he said.

He let out a irritated sigh. 'I had a thought and now I've lost it. It was right there on the tip of my tong,' Radagast explained with wide gestures.

Then Radagast seemed to come to a realization. 'Oh... It's not a thought at all. It's a silly old stick insect,' he spoke while Gandalf pulled the insect out of Radagast mouth.

Ignoring the raised eyebrows of the rest of the company, Gandalf led Radagast a few meters away from the group, so that they could talk in private. Of course, it didn't stop Maddie to use a hearing spell so that she could eavesdrop.

'The greenwood is sick, Gandalf,' Radagast began to tell. 'A darkness has fallen over it. Nothing grows anymore. At least, nothing good. The air is foul with decay. But worse are the webs. '

Webs? What do you mean?'

'Spiders, Gandalf,' the Brown Wizard explained with a serious look on his face. 'Giant ones. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I am not a Wizard. I followed their trail. They came from... Dol Guldur.'

'Dol Guldur? But the old fortress is abandoned.'

Radagast shook his head. 'No, Gandalf. It is not... A dark power dwells in there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror. One that can summon the spirits of the dead. I saw him, Gandalf. From out of the darkness, a Necromancer has come.'

A Necromancer? Maddie thought. She had once seen a sort of Necromancer before. Morgana had tried to prevent that Guinevere would rise the throne, so she had brought Lancelot, Guinevere's old flame, back from the dead.

While Maddie thoughts dwelled on Lancelot, Gandalf tried to calm Radagast down.

'Try a little Old Toby,' he said and held his pipe in front of Radagast. Radagast inhaled and a satisfied expression came over his face.

'And out,' Gandalf continued and the smoke came out of Radagasts nose and ears.

'Now, a Necromancer. Are you sure?' Gandalf asked.

Radagast nodded and presented an dagger folded in a piece of leather. Gandalf removed the leather and was shocked by what he saw. 'That is not from the world of the living,' Radagast spoke with a mysterious voice.

Then, howling was heard.

Maddie's head snapped up. She saw how a horrified expression came over the faces of the Dwarves.

'Was that a wolf? Are there wolves out there?' she asked.

'Wolves? No, that is not a wolf,' Bofur replied.

Some twigs snapped and everyone turned around.

From out of the bushes, two creatures came. They looked like giant wolves with big fangs and sharp claws. Maddie had never seen such creatures before.

One of the two was killed by Kili's bow, but the other managed to jump on Dori.

Thorin and Dwalin quickly slew the beast and helped Dori up his feet.

'Warg scouts,' Thorin concluded he pulled his sword out of the dead body. 'That means an Orc pack is not far behind.'

Gandalf stepped in front of Thorin and asked: 'Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?'

'No one, I swear,' Thorin replied. 'What in Durin's name is going on?'

'You're being hunted,' Gandalf explained and more howling was heard. 'We need to get out of here.'

'We can't. We have no ponies. They bolted,' Ori said.

Maddie sighed. Great. Just great. They were hunted by Orcs and they didn't have any ponies. How could it get any worse?

Then, Radagast came with a solution. 'I'll draw them off,' he said.

Gandalf shook his head. 'This are Gundabad Wargs. They will outrun you.'

'These are Rhosgobel rabbits,' Radagast contradicted him, as if Rhosgobel rabbits were the solution to all problems. 'I'd like to see them try to catch me,' he continued with a grin on his face.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Gandalf agreed.

Radagast jumped on his sled and rode off. It didn't take long for the Orc pack to notice him and soon, Radagast was followed by them.

In the mean time, Gandalf, Maddie and the Dwarves ran in the opposite direction. Despite of the loss of their ponies, they made good speed.

They ran out of the forest into a rocky landscape full of hills.

'Where are you leading us?' Thorin asked. Gandalf didn't answer the question and just said that they needed to hurry.

Maddie had no idea where they were going, but Gandalf seemed to know, so she trusted on his judgment.

The plan could have worked, if Radagast hadn't accidentally turned his sled and was riding in the direction of his friends.

Luckily, the company noticed the Orc pack on time and hid their self.

Then, one of the Orcs picked up the scent of the Dwarves. He rode to a big rock and drew his sword, hoping to see the Dwarves running somewhere. Unfortunately, it was the same rock where Gandalf, Maddie and the Dwarves were hiding.

Thorin looked at Kili and pointed at Kili's bow. Kili nodded to make clear that he had understood what his uncle meant.

Kii took an arrow and placed it on his bow. He then stepped out of the cover of the rock and shot at the Warg.

The Warg fell of the cliff along with its rider, but both weren't dead yet. The Dwarves quickly slew the two, but it was too late. The rest of the Orc pack had heard the screams of their dying comrades.

' _The dwarf-scum are over there_!' the leader of the pack shouted in Black Speech and rode to the rock.

Gandalf and the others tried to get away, but soon they were surrounded. Kili shot a few of them down with his bow, but there were too many of them.

Then, Gandalf seemed to recognize a few rocks. 'This way,' he shouted and ran towards the rocks. He slid down a hardly noticeable gap between two of the rocks and landed in a underground tunnel.

Maddie and the Dwarves followed Gandalf and soon everyone stood in the tunnel.

The company draw their weapons in case an Orc would follow them down, but the only thing that happened was a horn blown in the distance, followed by the sound of galloping horses, flying arrows and screaming.

One dead Orc, killed by an arrow, rolled in the gap.

Thorin pulled the arrow out and pulled a grimace. ´Elves,´ he said before throwing the arrow away.

The screams stopped and the horses galloped away.

Maddie noticed that she was shaking a bit. This was the first time she had seen an Orc and she hoped that there would be a second. Quickly she tried to calm herself down before anyone saw her in this state.

'I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or not?' Dwalin asked who had already walked a bit ahead in the tunnel.

'Follow it, of course,´ the Dwarves said and followed Dwalin into tunnel.

No one except Maddie heard Gandalf mumbling: ´I think that would be wise.´

After an hour of walking, the company reached the end of the tunnel.

Maddie's mouth fell open. For across the ravine in front of them, lay the most beautiful place she had ever seen. A graceful palace surround by trees and waterfalls.

'The Valley of Imladris,' Gandalf spoke. 'In the common tong, it's known by another name.'

'Rivendell,' Maddie whispered. Gandalf had told her of the Valley of the Elves, but she had never expected such beauty.

'Here lies the last Homely House East of the Sea,' Gandalf continued.

Thorin walked to Gandalf and spoke angrily: 'This was your plan all along. To seek refuge with our enemy.'

'You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found in this valley is what you bring yourself,' Gandalf replied calmly.

'You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us.'

'Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered.'

Thorin sighed and lowered his head. He knew Gandalf was right, but that didn't mean he liked it.

'If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact. And respect. And no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me,' Gandalf concluded before starting to walk towards the bridge that led into Rivendell.

Maddie and thirteen grumpy Dwarves followed.

After crossing the bridge, they ended up in a round courtyard.

Maddie wished that she had a dozen more eyes to see all the beauty around her. Rivendell looked as if it were not real, but belonged in a fairytale.

The Dwarves, however, weren't fascinated at all, and were just reminding each other of the slyness of the Elves.

On a stair that led to the courtyard, an, what Maddie presumed to be, Elf appeared. He was tall and had brown hear and pointy ears. He also wore a purple robe.

As the Elf walked down the stairs, he spoke: ' _Mithrandir_.'

Gandalf turned around as he heard his name in the Elfish Tong. 'Ah, Lindir,' he greeted back.

Somewhere behind her, Maddie heard how Thorin warned Dwalin to stay sharp.

' _We heard you had crossed into the Valley_ ,' lindir continued in Elfish.

Maddie was surprised that she actually understood what the Elf had said, and that she didn't have to use a translation spell.

'I must speak to Lord Elrond,' Gandalf came straight to the point.

'My Lord Elrond is not here,' Lindir replied.

'Not here? Where is he?'

As Lindir opened his mouth to answer Gandalf, a horn was blown.

Fifteen Elves rode across the bridge towards the courtyard. All were covered with armor and wore spears and bows with arrows.

The Dwarves didn't like Elves, and seeing an small army of it riding towards them, made them draw their weapons and take a defensive position.

The Elves circled around the Dwarves before finally coming to a stop.

One of the Elves jumped of his horse and walked towards Gandalf. 'Gandalf,' he greeted.

The Elf had black hair and brown eyes. He had the appearance of a true leader: kind but just.

' _lord Elrond, my friend_ ,' Gandalf replied in Elfish with a small bow of his head. ' _Where have you been?_ '

' _We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the south. We slew a few near the Hidden Pass._ '

Elrond walked to Lindir and handed an Orc-item over to him.

'Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders,' he then continued. 'Something or someone has draw them near.'

'That may have been us,' Gandalf replied.

Then, Thorin stepped in front of the Elvin Lord.

'Welcome, Thorin, son of Thrain,' Elrond greeted.

'I do not believe we have met,' Thorin answered politely.

'You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled Under the Mountain.'

'Indeed? He made no mention of you.'

Elrond gave Thorin a long look, but let Thorins insult pass. Instead he looked at Maddie.

'And who is this young girl?' he asked.

'I'm Madelyn,' Maddie replied.

For one second, Maddie thought she saw recognition in Elronds eyes, but then it disappeared.

'She has accidentally teleported to this world and she's keeping us company until a way back is found,' Gandalf explained.

Elrond nodded and turned his attention back to the Dwarves. He then said something in Elfish what the Dwarves didn't understand. They lifted their weapons, thinking that Elrond was insulting them.

Gandalf quickly stepped in between and explained: 'My Lord Elrond is offering you food.'

The Dwarves murmured a bit to each other, but then came to the realization that they would like to eat. 'Well, in that case, lead on,' Gloin answered.

* * *

Two hours later, Maddie entered Elronds dining room.

The Elves had given the company rooms and the opportunity to wash themselves and to change their clothes before dinner. Because Maddie didn't have any spare clothing, the Elves had given her a beautiful dark blue gown which matched her eyes.

As Maddie entered the dining room, she could see that the Dwarves had already arrived. They were seated at low tables and had already started to eat.

Thorin sat at a bigger table. Because he was the leader of the company, he was allowed to eat with the host. Elrond, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Three empty chairs stood around the bigger table, and because Maddie didn't see any other available seats, she deciphered that she was also meant to eat with the host.

She walked towards the table and took place in the seat at the opposite end of Thorin. Thorin looked at her with his usual disliking.

Maddie looked away to the other Dwarves.

Ori was complaining that he didn't like green food and Dwalin was angry because there wasn't any meat or muffins. Oin didn't want to hear the Elfish music, so he putted something in his ears.

Then, Elrond and Gandalf entered the room. They were still in the middle of a conversation when they took place next to Maddie and Thorin.

'Kind of you to invite us,' Gandalf said. 'Not really dressed for dinner.'

'Well, you never are,' Elrond replied and both men laughed.

The Dwarf, the Elf, the Wizard and the Warlock started to eat.

After a while, Elrond frowned. 'I believe you carry Elvish blades with you,' he said.

Maddie, Thorin and Gandalf glanced at each other. Maddie had no idea how Elrond had found it out. Maybe he could sense the swords.

'We do,' Gandalf replied. There was no use lying about it.

'May I see them?'

After a small hesitation, Thorin showed his sword first.

Elrond examined the sword and concluded: 'This is _Orcrist_ , the Goblin-cleaver. A famous blade forged by the High Elves of the West, my kin.'

Elrond handed the sword back to Thorin. 'May it serve you well.'

Thorin nodded as a thank.

Then, Gandalf presented his sword.

'This is _Glamring_ , the Foehammer. Sword of the King of Gondolin,' Elrond spoke.

Elrond then examined Maddie's sword . 'This sword was also found in the Troll-hoard?' he asked.

Maddie nodded.

'This sword was forged for an Elfish nobleman. It doesn't have a name yet,' Elrond concluded and handed the sword back to Maddie.

'These swords were made for the Goblin Wars of the First Age. How did you come by these?' Elrond then asked.

'We found them in a Troll-hoard on the Great East Road, shortly before we were ambushed by Orcs,' Gandalf explained.

'And what were you doing on the Great East Road?'

Thorin opened his mouth to say something, but was caught off by Gandalf.

'We'll talk about that later, if you don't mind,' Gandalf answered Elrond while giving Thorin a long look.

* * *

After the company had finished their dinners, Elrond led Gandalf, Thorin, Balin and Maddie to his study room. The chamber was filled with books and comfortable chairs to read. The moonlight shined upon them through an open window.

'Will you now tell me why you've come to Rivendell?' Lord Elrond asked.

'Show him the map, Thorin,' Gandalf said.

'Our business is no concern of Elves,' Thorin answered.

Gandalf let out a frustrated sigh. It was known far and wide that Dwarves were stubborn, but Thorin was no doubt the worst. 'For goodness sake, Thorin, show him the map.'

'It is the legacy of my people. It's mine to protect, as are its secrets.'

Maddie looked from Thorin to Gandalf and back to Thorin. She felt a bit useless. She was just standing there, watching how Gandalf and Thorin were having another argument. And there was nothing she could do about it.

'Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves. Your pride will be your downfall,' Gandalf continued. 'You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle-earth who can read that map. Show it to lord Elrond.'

After a few moments of silence, Thorin sighed. Gandalf was right again. The company needed to know what was on the map, and Elrond was the only one present who could help them. So he retrieved the map out of his pocket and handed it over to Elrond.

Elrond carefully unfolded the map and looked at it. 'What is your interest in this map?' he then asked.

Thorin opened his mouth to tell Elrond to mind his own business, but was caught off again by Gandalf. 'It's mainly academic. As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text.'

Elrond walked to the window to have a little more light. He then noticed something. 'This map contains Moon runes.'

Gandalf chuckled and shook his head. 'An easy thing to miss,' he explained to Maddie who had raised her eyebrows.

'In this case, that is true,' Elrond agreed. 'Moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written.'

'Can you read them?' Thorin asked.

Elrond nodded and let the others to a cave with a big crystal in it. The moon shined into the cave through several big gaps and you could hear the noise of a waterfall nearby.

'These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly 200 years ago,' Elrond spoke while he placed the map on the crystal. 'It would seem you were meant to came to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield. The same moon shines upon us tonight.'

As Elrond spoke his last words, a few beams of moonlight shined directly on the crystal and the map.

On the map, a small text of runes appeared. Elrond quickly read it out loud before the runes would disappear.

' _"Stand by the grey stone_

 _When the thrush knocks_

 _And the setting sun_

 _With the last light of Durin's Day_

 _Will shine upon the keyhole._ "'

Elrond handed the map back to Thorin.

'What is Durin's Day?' Maddie asked. She had never heard of it before.

'It is the start of the Dwarves' new year, when the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together,' Gandalf explained.

'This is ill news,' Thorin remarked. 'Summer is passing. Durin's Day will soon be upon us.'

'We still have time to find the entrance,' Balin contradicted him. 'We have to be standing in exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened.'

'So this is your purpose, to enter the mountain?' Elrond concluded.

'What of it?' Thorin asked annoyed.

'There are some who would not deem it wise.'

Gandalf frowned. 'What do you mean?'

'You are not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-earth,' Elrond answered before walking away.


	7. Rivendell part II

**And here is chapter 7 and part II of Rivendell. I don't own the Hobbit or Merlin. I hope you like it. Tips and reviews are welcome. It is my first fanfic after all.**

 **PS: If you see changes in the previous chapters, it only means I'm correcting grammar mistakes. If I make a real change in the story, I'll put it in the authors note.**

* * *

The next morning, Maddie woke up to the sound of streaming water and the singing of Elves.

She stood up, washed herself and put on another robe of the Elves. This one was brown with golden embroideries and made of soft silk.

She walked out of her room and looked down the hallway. She didn't know the way in Rivendell and she had no idea where breakfast would be served.

'If you want breakfast, it's this way.'

Maddie spun around to see who had been talking to her.

Behind her stood none other than Lord Elrond himself, dressed up in a purple robe. He smiled and beckoned her to follow him.

Maddie walked after him and soon, she stood in the same room where she and the Dwarves had had supper last evening. A few Dwarves were already eating.

Maddie joined Elrond again at the bigger table and both enjoyed their breakfast. It was mostly toast with salads.

After they had finished their breakfast Elrond invited Maddie for a walk.

For a few minutes they walked in silence, but then Elrond began to speak. 'Gandalf told me that you're from a different world. May I ask how you've teleported?'

Maddie told Elrond of the Crystal Cave and the green flash.

Elrond nodded and seemed to think about Maddie's answer. 'So, you want to go back to save your friend,' he concluded.

Maddie nodded.

Elrond then sighed. 'To get back, you will need another green flash, and I don't know when one will appear. '

Maddie was a bit disappointed. She had hoped that Elrond, as wise as he was, knew another way for her to return. But he didn't, so she would have to wait, and make the best out of it.

Maddie and Elrond walked into a big room. At one side hung a painting of a man holding a shard of a broken blade, trying to protect himself from a giant creature in black armor, that wielded a bludgeon.

On the other side of the room stood a statue of an Elvin Lady with a plate in her hand. On the plate lay the shards of a sword. Maddie realized that it was the same sword as the one on the painting.

Maddie frowned. Somehow, the sword seemed familiar to her.

'The shards of _Narsil_ ,' Elrond said when he saw that Maddie's attention was drawn to the sword. 'It's the blade that cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand.'

'Who's Sauron?' Maddie asked.

Elrond pointed to the giant creature with the bludgeon. 'The Dark Lord Sauron was the Enemy of the Free People of Middle-earth. With his evil magic Ring, he tried to dominate all life.'

Maddie glanced back at the sword. 'May I?' she asked.

Elrond nodded, so she held out her hand and touched the handle. The images she saw made her freeze.

 _She was still a little girl. In front of her stood a young boy, a little older then her. He had black hear and bright blue eyes. Somehow Maddie felt that she was supposed to know the boy._

 _The boy hugged her and then said: 'I hope we will see each other soon.'_

 _A hand grabbed her and pulled her away from the boy. She struggled a bit, but the man had strong arms. 'Come now, it's for your own safety,' he said as he lifted her up and put her on the back of a horse. Maddie glanced back at the boy and saw him waving at her. She waved back with tears on her face._

 _The man took place behind her on the horse and then they rode off._

 _They were just riding through a forest when Maddie and the rider heard the sound of other galloping horses. It seemed they were being chased._

 _The man speeded up his horse and rode as fast as he could. But soon they were surrounded._

 _The man stopped his horse and draw his sword._

 _One of the pursuers then demanded: 'Give up the girl.'_

 _The horse with Maddie and the man pranced, and Maddie accidentally fell off the horse._

 _Maddie hit the ground hard. Her arm ached when she tried to move it._

 _She looked up. The horse was still prancng and its hoofs were about to crush her._

 _She wanted to scream, but then a green flash blinded her eyes._

 _And then... darkness._

 _Maddie woke up as someone was shaking her shoulder._

 _She slowly opened her eyes and saw a young boy. It was not the same boy who had said goodbye to her. This boy was a bit older. His black hear looked like a bird's nest and his blue eyes looked down at her in worry. He wore a blue shirt, a red scarf and a brown jacket. When she saw the pile of wood next to him, she realized he'd been collecting fire wood._

 _'Who are you?' Maddie asked._

 _'I'm Merlin' the boy answered._

Maddie opened her eyes.

She was lying on her back next to the statue. Elrond stood next to her, his face worried.

'Are you alright?' he asked.

Maddie nodded. 'I think so. What happened?'

'You touched the sword and suddenly you fell on the ground, your eyes firmly shut. I tried to wake you, but you didn't respond.'

Elrond helped her up and leaded her to a bench that stood nearby. 'What happened to you?'

Maddie closed her eyes. She had seen a memory. A memory of her unknown past. It was what had happened just before she had woken up near Ealdor and Merlin had found her.

Instead of giving answers, the memory had given her even more questions. Who was the boy who had said goodbye to her? Why had she had to leave him? Did the green flash mean she had teleported before? But from where?

Maddie opened her eyes and saw that Elrond was still waiting for an answer. Quickly, she told him what she had seen.

'Do you know who the boy is?' Maddie asked after finishing her story.

Elrond hesitated. It almost seemed as if he was deciding whether or not to tell her something.

'I am not the one to reveal you this,' he finally answered. 'It is something you must find out by yourself.'

Maddie frowned. What did Elrond mean by that? She was sure he knew who the boy was, but he didn't seem to be willing to tell her.

Maddie then stood up. 'I need some time alone to think,' she said.

Elrond nodded. 'I understand.'

He then too stood up and led Maddie back to her room.

* * *

After Elrond had left Maddie, he went looking for Gandalf.

He was just walking down a corridor, when the voice of Lady Galadriel inside his head made him stop in his tracks.

'Y _ou didn't tell her about her brother._ '

' _No, I didn't._ ' Elrond replied before starting to walk again.

* * *

Gandalf rubbed the sleep from his eyes. It was in the early morning and he hadn't slept all night.

Three days had passed since the company had arrived in Rivendell and now, Gandalf had to explain his actions and those of the company's to the Council.

The Council consisted of a few members and often made decisions about issues that concerned all the folks of Middle-earth. Now, only Gandalf, Elrond, the Elvin Lady Galadriel and the Wizard Saruman the White were present.

'Tell me, Gandalf... , ' Saruman began, '... did you think these plans and schemes of yours would go unnoticed?'

'Unnoticed?' Did Saruman actually think that he was trying to hide the purpose of the quest? Of course, he didn't want everyone to know about the quest, but he wasn't sneaking either. 'No, I'm simply doing what I feel to be right,' he answered.

'The dragon has long been on your mind,' Galadriel remarked.

Gandalf nodded. 'That is true, my lady. Smaug owes allegiance to no one. But if he should side with the enemy, he could be used to terrible effect.'

'What enemy?' Saruman asked, disbelieve written on his face. 'Gandalf, the enemy is defeated. Sauron is vanquished. He can never regain his full strength. For 400 years we have lived in peace, a hard-won, watchful peace.'

'Are we? Are we at peace?' Gandalf contradicted him. 'Trolls have come down from the mountains. They are raiding villages, destroying farms. And Orcs have attacked us on the road.'

'Hardly a prelude to war.' Saruman waved Gandalfs words away.

Gandalf sighed. It was hard to convince a person like Saruman.

He leaned forward in his chair to emphasize his next words. 'There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug. Something far more powerful. We can remain blind to it, but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you. '

Elrond frowned. 'What do you mean?'

'A sickness lies over the Greenwood. The woodsmen who live there now call it Mirkwood. And they speak of a Necromancer living in Dol Guldur. A sorcerer who can summon the dead,' Gandalf explained with a serious look on his face.

'That's absurd,' Saruman replied. 'No such power exists in this world. This _Necromancer_ is nothing more than a mortal man. A conjurer dabbling in black magic.'

'And so I thought too,' Gandalf agreed. 'But Radagast has seen…'

'Radagast? Do not speak to me of Radagast the Brown. He's a foolish fellow,' Saruman interrupted him with a laugh. 'His excessive consumption of mushrooms has addled his brain and yellowed his teeth. I've warned him that it is unbefitting for one of the Wizards to be wandering the woods…'

Gandalf didn't hear what Saruman said next, for Lady Galadriels voice filled his head.

' _You carry something. It came to you from Radagast. He found it in Dol Guldur._ '

' _Yes_ ,' Gandalf replied. There was no use to lie about it.

' _Show me._ '

Gandalf nodded and lay the dagger that Radagast had given to him down on the table in front of him.

Saruman stopped talking in the middle of a sentence.

'It's a relic of Mordor,' Galadriel spoke with horror. 'A Morgul Blade, made for the Witchking of Angmar. And buried with him.' Galadriels face lost its normal calm and was filled with confusion.

The Council exchanged glances. How was it possible for this dagger to end up here?

'When Angmar fell…,' Galadriel continued,'… the Men of the North took his body and all that he possessed and sealed it within the High Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried him, in a tomb so dark that it would never come to light.'

Elrond shook his head in disbelieve. 'This is not possible. A powerful spell lies upon those tombs. They cannot be opened.'

Gandalf glanced at Elrond. He felt the same confusion.

'What proof do we have that this weapon came from Angmar's grave?' Saruman asked.

'I have none,' Gandalf replied.

'Because there is none,' Saruman then said, completely convinced of himself.

Gandalf sighed. Saruman didn't understand the seriousness of the situation.

'Let us examine what we know,' Saruman continued. 'A single Orc pack has dared to cross the Bruinen, a dagger from a bygone age has been found, and a human sorcerer who calls himself " _The Necromancer_ " has taken up residence in a ruined fortress. It's not so much after all.'

Saruman then turned his attention directly towards Gandalf. 'The question of this Dwarvish company however, troubles me deeply.'

Gandalf opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Saruman.

'I'm not convinced, Gandalf. I do not feel I can condone such a quest. If they'd come to me, I might have spared them this disappointment. I do not… '

Gandalf heard Galadriels voice once more in his head.

' _They are leaving._ '

Gandalf turned his towards Galadriel. ' _Yes._ '

' _You knew.'_ The remark was meant to sound accusing, but instead it sounded as if Galadriel was trying to hold back a smile.

'… No, I'm afraid there is nothing else for it.' Saruman finished whatever he had been saying.

Suddenly, Lindir walked into the room, causing everyone to turn around to face him.

'My Lord Elrond, the Dwarves are gone,' he said.

* * *

At the same moment, Maddie and the company were walking on a narrow path that led away from Rivendell.

Maddie stopped walking and turned around to have a last glance at the Elvin city.

She didn't like to sneak off like this, but it was necessary. Gandalf had warned her and the others last evening, that they needed to leave with the break of dawn the moment Gandalf would be talking to the Council. Gandalf had suspected that the Council wouldn't let the company go.

Maddie sighed. She would have liked to ask Lord Elrond if he knew anything more about her past. But she had not been given the chance to do so.

Somewhere behind her, she heard how Thorin spoke to her.

'Miss Maddie, I suggest you keep up.'

Maddie turned around, nodded to Thorin, and started to walk again.

* * *

'You will follow them.'

'Yes,' Gandalf replied.

He and Lady Galadriel were standing in the Council room in Rivendell. Saruman and Elrond had already left.

Gandalf had just denied to the Council that he had known the company was leaving. None of them believed him, but the company was already out of their reach and there was nothing they could do about it.

'You are right to help Thorin Oakenshield,' Galadriel continued. 'But I fear this quest has set in motion forces we do not yet understand. The riddle of the Morgul Blade must be answered. Something moves in the shadow unseen, hidden from our sight. It will not show itself. Not yet. But every day it grows in strength. You must be careful.'

Gandalf nodded and started to walk towards the door.

Galadriel stopped him by asking: 'Mithrandir, why the girl?'

Gandalf turned back. He hesitated for a moment. He hadn't thought about it when he had invited Maddie. Why did he bring her along? Why did he bring a girl on a dangerous quest to reclaim a homeland from a fire-breathing dragon?

'I don't know,' he finally replied. 'Saruman believes it is only a great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I have found that is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Why Maddie?' he chuckled. 'Perhaps it is because I'm afraid… and she gives me courage.'

Galadriel sighed and took Gandalf by the hand.

'Do not be afraid, Mithrandir. You are not alone,' she said as she used her free hand to push a lock of Gandalfs hair that was dangling in front of his face behind his ear. She then gave Gandalf a reassuring smile.

' _If you ever need my help, I will come_ ,' she promised.

Gandalf looked at his hands. He was touched by Galadriels promise. They had been friends for a very long time. He always had had the highest regard for her.

Galadriel slowly removed her hand. Then it became quiet. The minutes passed without anyone speaking. Gandalf looked up.

Galadriel was gone.


	8. Down in the deep of Goblin-town

**Sorry this chapter took so long. Happy New Year, by the way.**

 **I don't own the Hobbit or Merlin, only my OC Maddie. I hope you like it and please leave a review. How do you think the story will coninue?**

* * *

The company had just finished their descent of the mountain, when Thorin declared that they would make camp for the night.

There wasn't much wild in the Misty Mountains, so Maddie didn't go for a hunt with Kili and Fili. Instead, she helped Bombur with the cooking. They still had some dried meat and vegetables, so they made a delicious stew.

Grateful to relieve her painful feet, Maddie sank down on a tree trunk next to Balin and Fili and Kili.

A week had passed since their departure from Rivendell and they had just passed the first mountain of the Misty Mountains. Gandalf still hadn't caught up with them, but Maddie hoped he soon would.

'Maddie?' Kili asked.

'Hmmm.'

'Back in Bree, you said you've met a Dragon before.'

Maddie looked up. The whole company stared at her. Even Thorin seemed to be interested. After swallowing the food that was in her mouth, Maddie answered: 'That's true.'

The company was still staring expectantly at her, so she lay down her bowl of food and answered the question that lay on the tip of their tongs.

'I've met the Great Dragon Kilgarrah a few times, and once the white Dragon Aithusa. They are the only two Dragons left. The others are death.'

'Do you know much about Dragons?' Fili then asked.

'A bit,' Maddie answered truthfully. The Dragons carried many secrets, and she had only unraveled a few of them.

'Dragons are magical creatures. They are immune to the magic of Warlocks and Sorcerers and have long lives. They are very wise and once they were the allies of the Trolls. Their Eggs can live up to a thousand years without dying. And a Dragons heart is at its right side, not its left.'

'How do you know so much?' Ori asked with big eyes.

'I've had a few adventures that involved Dragons. And my friend Merlin told me a few things about them. He's a Dragonlord.'

The company exchanged confused glanced. Maddie realized they didn't know what a Dragonlord was.

'The Dragonlords are men who can talk to the Dragons, tame them,' Maddie explained.

Thorin snorted. 'Pity we don't have one of them now.'

Maddie ignored his comment and continued her story.

'Thirty years ago, king Uther believed that the art of the Dragonlords was too close to magic. So he had them all rounded up and slaughtered, till only one was left. His name was Balinor.

Uther asked Balinor to use its power to bring the last Dragon to Camelot. He said he wanted to make peace with it. But he didn't. He lied to Balinor and betrayed him.

My mentor Gaius helped Balinor escape, and Uther pursued him like an animal.

Finally, Balinor found the Ealdor, a place beyond Uthers realm. He had a life there. And a woman, my friend Merlins mother. But still Uther pursued him. He send knights to kill Balinor.

Balinor was forced to leave the Ealdor and the woman he loved. He fled into Cenreds kingdom. There he lived in a cave on the foot of Feorre Mountain for more than 20 years. And there he remained, until one day, Camelot was under attack by Kilgarrah, and Gaius told Merlin and Arthur to search for the last Dragonlord and Merlins father.'

'What happened next?'

'They found the Dragonlord and persuaded him to return with them to Camelot. On the way back, Merlin told Balinor that he was his son. Unfortunately, on the border they were ambushed by Cenreds men and Balinor died.

The power of a Dragonlord passes down from father to son, so eventually Merlin could command Kilgarrah to never attack Camelot again.'

'And what about the other Dragon, the white one?' Balin asked.

'Aithusa's story takes place two years after the death of Merlins father,' Maddie explained. 'There was a legend that in the Ancient Tomb of Askhanar lay a Dragons Egg. A former pupil of Gaius, Julius Borden, believed the legend to be true and spent 20 years of his life finding the three parts of the Triskelion, the key that would open the Tomb.

The last piece was in Camelot, and after Borden had stolen it, Arthur rode out to find Borden and to destroy the Dragons Egg. Merlin went with him, but not to destroy the Egg.

Kilgarrah had asked him to save the last of his kind, and eventually, the Egg could be saved.

After he had returned to Camelot, Merlin brought the Egg to Kilgarrah and hatched it by giving it a name.

It was a beautiful white Dragon. Very fitting to its name. For Aithusa means ''light of the sun''. It was pity that she is now used for terrible things.'

'What do you mean?'

'Aithusa had the bad luck of crossing Morgana's path when she was very little. Morgana enchanted her to use her for her own goods.'

* * *

Maddie was soaked to the bone.

Two weeks had passed since the company had talked about Kilgarrah and Aithusa, and now they were now walking on a narrow path through the Misty Mountains in the middle of a storm.

Maddie tried to place her feet carefully, but it didn't prevent her from slipping off a smooth rock. She would have fallen for sure, if Dwalin and Bofur hadn't grabbed her. 'Careful, it's slippy,' Bofur warned her.

In the front of the group, Thorin tried to make himself audible in all the thunder and noise. 'We have to find shelter! This storm is too dangerous!'

'Look out!'

Out of nowhere, a giant rock flew through the air and crashed on the mountainside above them. The company had to press themselves against the wall to avoid the falling pieces of stone.

'This is no thunderstorm. It's a thunder-battle! look,' Balin shouted as he pointed at a giant stone creature that grabbed a piece of the mountain next to them and threw it to another stone creature that stood nearby.

'What are they?' Maddie asked.

'Giants! Stone-Giants!' Bofur explained.

Then, the ground beneath their feet began to shake and to crack. The company realized they had the bad luck of standing on the knees of another Stone-Giant who was about to meddle in the fight of the other two.

As the Giant stood up from its sitting position, its legs broke apart, separating one half of the company from the other.

The Dwarves on the left leg of the Stone-Giant were lucky, for the side of the leg collided with the mountainside for a moment, which gave the Dwarves the opportunity to run off the knee onto the mountain path.

The ones on the right leg (which concluded Maddie) were less fortunate. They were swung around as the Stone-Giant lashed out to one of the other Giants.

The first Giant grabbed a rock and threw it to the one that held Maddie and half of the Dwarves. The rock hit the head of the Giant, which caused it to separate from the body.

The body fell down and the knee that contained a part of the company was about to crash on the mountainside. Maddie noticed it on time and quickly muttered a spell that would prevent her and the Dwarves from being squashed.

The leg collided with the mountainside just above the path. The Giant then fell down into the darkness.

Somewhere in the distance. Maddie could hear how Thorin shouted: 'No! Fili!' Then, she heard him sigh and say: 'It's alright, they're alive!'

'Where is Maddie?' one of the Dwarves then asked. 'Where is our Warlock?'

After the giant had fallen down, Maddie had accidentally rolled off the mountain path. She had managed to grab a projection on the mountainside and was now hanging above the ravine.

Soon, the Dwarves noticed her, and a few reached out their hand. But they were out of Maddie's reach.

Then, Thorin jumped of the path onto a projection next to Maddie, but a bit higher. He grabbed her by her jacket and pulled her up onto the path. Then he climbed back himself.

Maddie gave him a thankful nod. After all, he had just saved her life.

'I almost thought we'd lost our burglar,' Dwalin commented.

'She's been lost ever since she teleported from Camelot,' Thorin said. 'She should never have come. She has no place amongst us.'

Maddie's thankful feeling disappeared. She knew right from the start that Thorin didn't like her, but he had never said anything like this. She had made a promise that she would help Thorin in his quest until the end. Why didn't he believe her?

Thorin didn't notice Maddie's hurt and pointed at a cave nearby. 'Maybe we can find shelter there,' he said before walking towards it.

The rest of the company quickly followed him, not having the need for more rain or Stone-Giants.

After searching the cave to the back and eating a cold dinner (Thorin didn't want to risk a fire), most of the company lay down their bedrolls and went to sleep.

Maddie, however, couldn't sleep. Thorins words still echoed inside her head. _She should never have come. She has no place amongst us._

Maddie wondered what she had done wrong to make Thorin think like that. All she had wanted was to do was help. She tossed and turned but couldn't bring herself to sleep.

She then stood up and walked towards Bofur, who had the first watch. 'Can't sleep?' he asked.

Maddie nodded. All this thoughts about Thorin were keeping her away from her sleep.

Bofur gave her a understanding smile and patted on the rock next to him. 'If you want you can sit next to me and keep me company. I would like to have someone to talk to during my watch.'

Maddie smiled back and sat down next to him.

'Do you want to tell me what's keeping you from you're sleep?' Bofur asked.

Maddie looked up to Bofur. In his eyes she saw nothing but true concern. 'If you're homesick, I understand,' he continued.

Maddie looked down to her feet. Bofur only had the best intention with her, so she could tell him what was troubling her. 'It's not just that, Bofur. Of course I miss Camelot and I need to save my friend, but...'

'Save your friend? What do you mean?'

Maddie looked up again. Confusion was written on Bofurs face. She realized she hadn't told anyone except Gandalf of what had happened in the Crystal Cave. Quickly she explained it to Bofur.

'Just before I teleported to Middle-earth, I saw a vision of how a good friend of mine, named Arthur, was killed.'

'Oh, I understand.' Bofur looked at her with sympathy and gestured that she could continue with her original story.

'As I said,' Maddie continued, 'of course I miss Camelot and I want to save my friend, but...'

'But what?'

Maddie hesitated for a moment, but then decided to say it. 'I'm not sure whether I the right person to be your burglar.'

'Don't say that. You're part of the Company. You're one of us,' Bofur immediately said.

Maddie was glad Bofur tried to cheer her up, but she had to face reality. 'I'm not,' she contradicted him. 'I'm just a girl who accidentally teleported. I'm not good with the sword or with magic. Merlin should be here instead of me. He's a Dragonlord and I am just a girl that doesn't even know where she belongs. Thorin is probably right that I should have come.'

Neither Bofur nor Maddie saw that Thorin, who had been listening the whole conversation, had for a moment a regretful look on his face. It was only a moment, but it had been there.

Bofur looked shocked at Maddie's words. He then composed himself and grabbed her shoulder. 'Maddie,' he said with a stern voice, forcing her to look up to him. 'Don't ever think that, no matter what Thorin says. You belong with the Company as well as I do. And hadn't it been for you, we all would have been squashed into jelly by three hideous trolls.'

Maddie chuckled as she remembered the Trolls they had faced earlier. 'I suppose that's true.'

Bofur nodded. Then, his attention was drawn to Maddie's sword. 'What's that?' he asked.

Maddie followed Bofurs eyes down to her sword. It was glowing blue.

She looked back up to Bofur with a horrified expression on her face. 'We're in trouble.'

The ground began to split and the Dwarves and Maddie fell down into the darkness.

They rolled down a sort of tunnel before ending up in a chamber filled with Goblins. The Dwarves tried to reach their weapons, but were soon grabbed by the Goblins and were brought away.

Maddie, who had landed a bit separated from the Dwarves, hadn't been noticed by the Goblins and tried to lay still until the Goblins were gone.

She saw how her friends were brought away down a bridge and wished that Gandalf was there. Why did the Grey Pilgrim always seem to be absent when they needed him most?

After the last sounds had faded away, Maddie stood up and walked after the Goblins.

But then a Goblin who was apparently holding watch, noticed her and ran towards her to slay her.

This was Maddie's first real fight, and as she saw the Goblin running towards her with her sword, she froze and forgot everything she had learned.

The Goblin lashed out to her head and Maddie came back to her senses. She blocked the Goblins sword and attacked. The Goblin was surprised and stumbled back while swinging his sword. He then accidentally cut the robes of the bridge, which caused it to break. And so Maddie and the Goblin fell down into the deep darkness of the mountain.

* * *

Thorin was pushed forward by five Goblins.

After the company found the cave and had turned to sleep, Thorin had been lying awake and thinking about the journey further on.

He had heard how Maddie had gone to Bofur to talk. He had heard how she thought about her place in the company and he couldn't help feeling a spark of guilt in his heart for a moment. He had never known she felt this way because he didn't like her.

Behind him, he could hear how Dwalin and the others were shouting rude comments at the Goblins.

The company was being led over several bridges before ending up in a huge cave filled with thousands of Goblins. In the middle of the cave, on a big, wooden throne, sat a big, fat Goblin with a huge double chin and a crown on his head. Thorin figured out that that had to be the Goblin King.

The company was led in front of the Goblin King, and their swords were thrown on a pile.

The King stood up and asked: 'Who would be so bold to come armed into my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?'

'Dwarves, Your Malevolence. We found them on the Front Porch,' a Goblin answered.

'Well, don't just stand there. Search them,' the King commanded. 'Every crack. Every crevice.'

The Goblins obeyed their King and began to search the Dwarves. They were quickly finished with all of them, except Fili, who seemed to have hidden daggers in every possible place.

After the Goblins were done, the Goblin King asked: 'What are you doing in these parts? Speak!'

The company remained quiet.

'Very well,' the King continued. 'If they will not talk, we'll make them squawk. Bring up the mangler and bring up the bonebreaker. Start with youngest,' the King finished as he pointed at Ori.

The Goblins cheered and the Dwarves shouted rude comments at the Goblin King, but all fell to silence as Thorin stepped in front of Ori and shouted: 'Wait!'

Thorin would have done the same for any of the Dwarves. He didn't want to see his friends and brothers in arms to get hurt. And distracting the Goblin King would buy them time.

A wicked grin appeared on the face of the Goblin King. 'Well, well, well. Look who it is,' he said sarcastic. 'Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. King Under the Mountain.' The Goblin King made a exaggerated bow.

He then came back to his standing position and continued: 'Oh, but I'm forgetting you don't have a mountain. And you're not a king. Which makes you... nobody, really.'

Thorin said nothing and tried to control his temper. That filth of a Goblin King would get what he deserved later.

The Goblin King gave Thorin an evil laugh. 'I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your head. Just a head. Nothing attached.'

Thorin looked up to the Goblin King. Was this person the person Gandalf and he had been talking about a few months ago in Bree? The person who wanted him dead?

'Perhaps you know of whom I speak,' the Goblin King continued. 'An old enemy of yours. A pale Orc, astride a white Warg.'

Thorin shook his head. The Goblin was lying. It couldn't be true. 'Azog the defiler was destroyed. He was slain in battle long ago.'

The goblin King grinned. 'So you think his defiling days are done, do you?' He then turned to a Goblin who stood nearby and said: 'Send word to the pale Orc. Tell him I have found his prize.'

* * *

Maddie opened her eyes. Carefully she tried to move. Her arm ached, but she didn't think it was broken. More likely bruised.

After the Goblin had cut the robes of the bridges and had caused them both to fall down into the darkness, Maddie had quickly uttered a levitation-spell to break her fall. But, apparently, her fall had been hard enough to knock her out and to bruise her arm.

Maddie looked around. She had probably landed in the deepest part of the mountain. Everywhere around her were rocks and stone. There were also a few gabs in the stone walls around her, but she had no idea which one of them could lead her outside. The Goblin she had been fighting with lay unconscious next to her.

Maddie stood up and grabbed her sword, that lay a few feet away from her.

Suddenly, she heard loud breathing near one of the gabs in the wall. Something was out there. Not knowing whether it was a Dwarf, a Goblin, or something else, Maddie quickly hid herself behind a rock. She moved her head, so she could see what was entering without being seen herself.

It was a creature that Maddie had never seen before. It looked like a small, deformed, grey person who walked on its feet and hands. It hardly wore any clothing and was very skinny.

After the creature had examined the body of the Goblin, it began to drag the Goblin to the gab of whence the creature had come. Apparently, the Goblin could feel that someone was dragging him, for he awakened and tried to kill the creature. The creature, however, avoided the swinging arms of the Goblin and just hit him with a rock. This caused the Goblin to fall into unconsciousness again and the creature continued to drag the Goblin.

The creature hadn't noticed how a golden ring had fallen out of his bare clothes.

As the creature passed Maddie's rock, she could hear it say: 'Nasty Goblinses! Better than old bones, precious. Better than nothing.'

The creature disappeared with the Goblin through the gab. Not knowing what else to do, Maddie followed them.

On her way to the gab, Maddie picked up the ring. And as soon her fingers touched the gold, she gasped. The ring was full of dark powerful magic and full of hate. She wanted to throw the ring away, but hesitated. The ring had already deformed the creature Maddie had seen, and who knew what it could do when it fell into the hands of someone who could wield its power.

Maddie putted the ring in her pocket. Maybe Gandalf knew a way to destroy it. After a deep sigh, Maddie followed the creature to the gab.

After Maddie had walked through the gab, she could see she was standing in a sort of underground cave with a lake. There was no sign of the creature nor the goblin, but in the distance she could hear how somebody's head was hit several times with a rock. The blue glow of her sword slowly faded away. The Goblin was dead.

Then it became quiet.

Suddenly, the creature jumped in front of her from behind a rock. It big blue eyes stared at her in surprise. 'Bless us and splash us, precious,' it said. 'That's a meaty mouthful.'

The creature began to crawl towards Maddie. When it got too close for her taste, she pointed her sword at its throat. 'Not any closer,' she spoke with a stern voice. She tried not to show that she was afraid. 'Who are you?' she then asked.

'Gollum! Gollum!' the creature answered.

Then, Gollum looked confused at Maddie's sword. 'It's got an Elfish blade. But it's not an Elfs.'

Gollums expression turned from confusion into curiosity. 'What is it, precious? What is it?'

'I'm Maddie, a Warlock,' she answered.

Gollum frowned. 'Warlockses? What is a Warlockses, precious?'

'A Warlock is someone who can perform Magic.'

'Oh,' Gollum replied while laughing. 'We like Goblinses, batses and fishses. but we hasn't tried Warlockses before. Is it soft? Is it juicy?'

Maddie's eyes grew big. Did Gollum seriously wanted to eat _her_? She shook her head and replied: 'No, I'm not tasty. And if you do try to eat me, I'll turn you into a toad.'

Gollum looked frightened by her treat and backend away.

Maddie took another close look at Gollum. He looked as if he knew the way in the mountain. Maybe he could lead her out. So she asked: 'Do you know the way out of here?'

'Why? Is it lost?'

Maddie nodded. 'Yes, and I want to get unlost as soon as possible. So do you know the way?'

Gollum seemed to think about Maddie's question for a moment. Then his faces cleared up. 'Ooh, we knows! We knows safe paths for Warlockses. Safe paths in the dark,' he said while pointing to his right. Then he slapped himself on his face. 'Oh, shut up!'

Maddie frowned. What did Gollum mean? 'I didn't say anything.'

'We wasn't talking to you.'

Maddie sighed. She needed to find her friends and Gollum wasn't really helping. 'Look, I don't know what your game is, but I...'

'Games?!' Gollum asked with a joyful expression on his face. 'Oh, we love games, doesn't we, precious? Does it like games? Does it, does it? Does it like to play?'

Maddie sighed again. 'Maybe,' she answered.

Gollum raised his hands and began to ask a riddle.

' _What has roots as nobody sees?_

 _Is taller than tress?_

 _Up, up, up it goes_

 _And yet, never grows_

That one was easy, Maddie thought. Without hesitation she answered: 'The mountain.' Gollum nodded.

Then, an idea began to form inside Maddie's head. Back in the Ealdor, she used to play games of riddles with the other children. She had always been good at it. Maybe she could play a game of riddles with Gollum and if she won, he would show her the way out.

She walked towards Gollum and asked: 'Why not play a game of riddles? And if I win, you show me the way out.'

Gollum nodded. 'Yes. And if Maddieses loses, precious, then we eats it whole!'

Maddie swallowed. Finding the way out or being eaten by Gollum? She didn't think it was really fair, but what other choice did she have? So Maddie sat down on a rock with her sword on her knees and asked the first riddle that crossed her mind:

' _Thirty white horses on a red hill_

 _First they champ, then they stamp_

 _Then they stand still like death_ '

It was one of the easiest riddles, so it didn't take long before Gollum replied: 'Teeth! Oh, yes, my precious! But we only have nine.' Gollum opened his mouth so Maddie could see he was telling the truth.

Maddie turned her gaze away from Gollums teeth, who undoubtedly hadn't been brushed for years.

Gollum took place on the rock in front of Maddie and asked his riddle.

' _Voiceless, it cries_

 _Wingless flutters_

 _Toothless bites_

 _Mouthless mutters_ '

Maddie frowned. She didn't remember this one. Gollum was better at this then she thought.

As she tried to come up with the solution, a small breeze of wind blew a lock of hair out of her face. And then she knew the answer. 'The answer is wind.'

Gollum seemed disappointed that Maddie had found the answer, but still congratulated her. 'Very clever, Warlockses. Very clever, indeed.'

Maddie raised her sword again, for Gollum again crawled towards her and into her comfort-zone. Quickly she asked a new riddle.

' _A box without hinges, hey or lid_

 _Yet golden treasure inside is hid_ '

Gollum needed more time on this riddle. And just when Maddie wanted to ask Gollum if was going to give up, Gollum came with the solution.

'Eggses! Eggses!' he shouted. 'Wet, little eggses. Grandmother taught us to suck them, yes!'

Maddie had no idea how you could suck an egg, and she also didn't want to ask.

Suddenly, a bat flew through one of the gabs and draw Maddie's attention. When she turned back to look at Gollum, he was gone.

But despite the fact Maddie couldn't see Gollum, his voice clearly echoed through the cave. 'We have one riddle for you:

 _All things it devours_

 _Birds, beast, trees, flowers_

 _Gnaws iron, bites steel_

 _Grinds hard stones to meal_ '

This was a riddle that Maddie had never heard before, and she had no idea what it could be. What devoured all things?

After a few minutes, Gollum came out of his hiding spot. 'Time's up.'

Maddie closed her eyes and sighed. How could she not have seen the answer? Of course, the answer was time. So she answered Gollum: 'The answer is time.'

Gollum seemed even more frustrated. 'Last question,' he said while grabbing a rock. 'Last chance...'

Maddie nodded and stood up. Her last riddle had to be a good one, or else she would have the same fate as the Goblin she had tried to kill. She paced around a little bit, but Gollum wasn't very patient. 'Ask us!' he shouted.

Maddie nodded. 'Yes, yes. Alright.'

Suddenly, Maddie remembered the ring she had in her pocket. 'What have I got in my pocket?' she asked.

Gollum pulled a pout. 'That's no fair! It's against the rules!' he shouted angrily while throwing his rock away. 'Now ask us another one!'

Maddie smiled and shook her head. 'No. You said ask me a question. Well, that is my question. What have I got in my pocket?'

Gollum groaned. 'Three guesses, precious. It must give us three!' he demanded while holding up two fingers.

Maddie agreed. She was sure that Gollum didn't suspect she had the ring, so there was little chance she would lose. 'Very well, guess away.'

'Handses!'

Maddie held up her hands to show that she didn't have them in her pocket. 'Wrong. Guess again.'

'A magic wand!'

Maddie shook her head. 'I don't use a wand.'

'A toad! Or a unicorn!'

Maddie's mouth fell open. How on earth could a unicorn fit inside her pocket. And why should she carry a toad? A magic wand was understandable, but a unicorn and a toad?

Then Maddie noticed Gollum was still waiting for a reply. 'Two guesses at once. Wrong both times,' she answered him.

Defeated, Gollum sank down to the ground.

'I won the game. You promised to show me the way out,' Maddie said.

Gollum slowly stood up. 'Did we say so, precious? Did we say so?'

Then he turned around to face Maddie. 'What has it got in its pocketses?'

Maddie raised her sword again. 'That's no concern of yours. You lost.'

Gollum laughed. 'Lost? _Lost_?'

He then reached inside his clothing to grab something, but didn't seem able to find it. He checked the other side of his clothing but with no success. Maddie somehow felt that it was the ring that Gollum searched, so she quickly retrieved it out of her pocket and held it behind her back. She tried to ignore the feeling of the dark magic.

In the mean time, Gollum was still searching. He searched in a pile of bones and near the waterside, but didn't find what he was looking for. Eventually, he cried out: 'Curse us and splash us! My precious is lost!'

For a few moments, Gollum looked at his reflection in the water. 'What _has_ it got in its nasty, little pocketses?' Maddie's grip on the ring tightened .

Gollum turned back towards Maddie. 'She stole it. She stole it!' With a scream, Gollum ran towards Maddie.

Maddie turned around and ran away as fast as her feet could carry her.

* * *

' _Bones will be shattered_

 _Necks will be wrung_

 _You'll be beaten and battered_

 _From racks you'll be hung_

 _You'll die down her_

 _And never be found_

 _Down in the deep of Goblin-town_ '

If the Goblin King didn't stop his singing, Thorin thought annoyed, indeed someone would die down in Goblin-Town and never be found. Someone very fat and with a huge double chin.

The Goblin King did stop his singing, for a Goblin had unsheathed Thorin's sword and had found it to be of Elfish make. With a scream, the Goblin threw the sword away, right in front of the Goblin Kings.

The King quickly crawled back on his throne, as far away as possible from the sword. He pointed at it and spoke with a horrified expression: 'I know that sword! It is the Goblin-cleaver! The Biter! The blade that sliced 1000 necks!'

Then he looked at the company. 'Slash them! Beat them! Kill them all! Cut of his head!'

One of the Goblins threw Thorin on the ground and raised his dagger to stab Thorins face. Thorin looked at the dagger in front of him and closed his eyes. He thought of his sister, Dìs, and that he had failed in his promise to keep Fili and Kili save.

A loud bang was heard and Thorin didn't feel something stinging in his face.

He opened his eyes. All the Goblins, even the Goblin King were flying to the air and landed on a big pile. Out of a cloud of mist, a figure appeared.

It was Gandalf. In one hand, he carried his staff, in the other his sword. 'Take up arms. Fight,' he said to the company.

Thorin and the other quickly grabbed their weapons and engaged the Goblins who had managed to get up. Gandalf helped them and slaughtered the Goblins who were brave enough to stand against a Wizard.

When the Goblin King noticed Gandalfs sword, he let out a frightened shriek. 'He wields the Foehammer! The Beater! Bright as daylight!'

After the last ones of the company had managed to grab their belongings, Gandalf led them to, what Thorin hoped to be, a way out. On the way, they killed the Goblins who tried to stop them.

There was one frightening moment, when he and the other were about to cross a bridge and the Goblin King jumped in front of them out of nowhere.

The King laughed and asked: 'You thought you could escape _me_?' He swung his club and drove the Dwarves back.

Then, Gandalf stepped forward and sliced his blade through the Goblin Kings neck.

The Goblin King dropped down in front of the company, but his weight caused the bridge to break and sent the company on a bumpy ride down the mountain.

After they had landed, they quickly came up their feet, for all of the Goblins climbed down towards them, angry for the death of their king.

'Only one thing will safe us: daylight! This way!' Gandalf shouted as he led them through a dark tunnel.

* * *

Maddie ran through another gab but could still hear Gollums screams as he pursued her.

After Gollum had found out she had the ring, Maddie had taken the run for it. Now she was running through tunnels and gabs, but had no idea where she was heading to.

She quickly hid herself behind a rock as Gollum ran through the gab and screamed: 'Give it to us!'

Maddie waited until Gollum had disappeared before coming up to her feet.

Then she heard a breeze of wind behind her.

She turned around. It came from another gab. Maybe this one could lead her out? She walked towards it and tried to squeeze herself through it.

The problem was that the gab was smaller than Maddie had calculated. Maddie tried to go back, but with no effect. She was stuck.

Then she heard how another problem evolved.

Gollum had apparently found nothing in the tunnel and was coming back. She heard how he came closer and saw how he turned around the corner. Gollum looked around and noticed her. Then he crawled towards her. 'It's ours!' he shouted. 'It's ours!'

Maddie tried again to squeeze herself through the gab, but this time succeeded. She fell on her back and accidentally led go of the ring.

It flew through the air before landing on Maddie's finger. Maddie now felt the dark magic even more so.

Gollum jumped through the gab, looked around and shouted: 'Thief! Warlockses!' Then he turned into another tunnel and disappeared into the darkness.

Maddie blinked. Surely Gollum should have seen her when he had looked around? So why hadn't he? Maybe the dark magic of the ring made the bearer invisible? If that were the case, Maddie would keep it on until she was safely outside.

She felt how a breeze of wind cherished her face. It came from her left. She started to head in that direction.

She was walking through a long, dark tunnel, when she saw a light in the distance. Maddie quickened her pace and after she had reached the end of the tunnel, she could see how a few beams of sunlight shined through a gab. This had to be the way out of the mountain, Maddie thought relieved.

She wanted to take another step towards the gab, but was suddenly blocked by Gollum, who had crawled out of another gab. 'Wait!' he shouted. 'My precious, wait!' Maddie was glad she was still wearing the ring.

Then, footsteps were heard in a tunnel to Maddie's right. Gollum quickly hid himself behind a rock as Gandalf and the Dwarves ran out of the tunnel and through the gab.

Maddie wanted to follow them, but Gollum stood in her way.

She silently draw her sword and raised it to kill Gollum, but then remembered what Gandalf had said when he had given her the sword. _True courage is about knowing not when to take a live, but when to spare one_.

She realized she pitied Gollum. The ring had deformed him and driven him mad.

With a sigh, she putted her sword back in her sheath. Then, she took a deep breath, pushed Gollum out of the way and made her way towards the gab.

As she ran through the gab, Maddie could hear Gollums screams behind her. 'Maddieses! Thief! Curse it and crush it! We hates it forever!'


	9. Out of the frying pan

**And here comes chapter 9. Again, my apologize that it took so long. School and homework occupies a lot of my time.**

 **Also, I'm maybe going to write some other fanfics. This doesn't mean I'm not going to finish this story. It's just that I have a few other ideas that I also would like to write down. For the readers of this story it means that the chapters will appear less often, but you're all welcome to read the other fanfics (if I'm able to write them down, cause I only have a few _VERY_ vage ideas). **

**Well, enjoy reading, my apologies for any grammar mistakes (I'm not from an English-speaking country) and please subscribe.**

 **(p.s. : let me know what you think the ending of this chapter, because I made it different from the movie)**

* * *

Maddie run as fast as she could and as far away as possible from the mountain and tried to catch up with the others.

She jumped from a rock and tried to ignore the pain that went through her bruised arm. Her main priority now was to find the others and not to sit down and mock about her arm.

She was running through a forest filled with conifers and in the distance she could hear how a spring streamed down some rocks.

After a few minutes, she heard Dwalins voice.

'Curse that Warlock! Now she's lost?'

Maddie quickened her pace towards the sound.

'Where did you last see her?' Gandalf voice asked.

'I think I saw her slip away when they first collared us.' Nori answered.

Maddie could now see Gandalf and the others standing between the trees. She wanted to wave to make clear that she was back, but then realized she still had the ring on and was in fact invisible.

'And what happened? Tell me!' Gandalf continued.

Maddie was about to pull off her ring but was stopped by Thorins words.

'I'll tell you what happened. Miss Maddie saw her chance and she took it. She has thought of nothing but returning to Camelot since first she came to Middle-earth. We will not be seeing our Warlock again. She is long gone.'

That was it, Maddie thought. That was the moment where she could turn around, go back to Rivendell, find another way back to Camelot and leave Thorin and the others. She could turn away from Thorins dislike towards her. But as soon as the thought appeared to her, she pushed it away.

There was something that made her wanting to stay. It wasn't because she had made a promise. It wasn't because she liked Gandalf and the Dwarves. It wasn't because she liked adventures.

The reason, she realized to her own surprise, was Thorin. Since they had met, he had always disliked her. He thought girls didn't belong on adventures and that she was only a burden who would run home at first opportunity.

Maddie didn't know why, but somehow she wanted to prove to Thorin that he was wrong. That she was better that what he thought.

Maddie took a deep breath and putted off the ring. 'I'm afraid I must say that she isn't gone.'

Everybody turned towards her as soon as they heard her voice.

Gandalf let out a relieved sigh. 'Maddie, I have never been so glad to see anyone in my life,' he said as he walked towards and gave her a hug.

Maddie ignored the pain in her arm and hugged Gandalf back.

'Maddie, we'd given you up. How on earth did you get past the Goblins?' Kili asked.

Maddie opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again. She didn't want to say openly that she had found a dark magical ring that could turn its bearer invisible. She wanted to discuss it first in private with Gandalf.

Apparently, Gandalf understood her hesitation and said: 'Well, what does it matter? She's back.'

Thorin, who was still surprised Maddie had appeared, replied: 'It matters. I want to know. Why did you come back?'

Maddie looked into Thorins eyes and for the first time, she didn't see any hatred or disliking in his eyes. The only thing she could read in his face was that he was surprised to see her and wanted to know the answer to his question.

'Look, I know you doubt me. I know you always have,' Maddie began. 'And you're right, I want to go back to Camelot. I miss my friends and I have to save Arthur. I've promised myself to try to save him. But I have also promised myself to do anything in my power to help you. Not because I don't have any other choice, but because it is the right thing to do. And...'

'And what?'

For a moment, Maddie contemplated whether she should Thorin that he was the reason of her return or not. Maddie decided she didn't have the guts to do it.

'I've lived more than 3 years in Camelot and 14 years in the Ealdor. But in all that time, I've never found myself a place I could call home. But I never gave up hope of finding one.

And that's also why I came back. Because, you don't have one either. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can,' Maddie finished.

Everyone of the company had gone silent at her words and Thorin almost looked pleased by her answer.

* * *

Suddenly, Wargs were heard howling in the distance.

'Out of the frying pan...,' Thorin began, fearing that they had just stumbled into a new danger.

'... and into the fire,' Gandalf finished, 'Run!'

Thorin, Gandalf, Maddie and the other Dwarves ran as fast as they could away from the Orcs.

After the company had escaped, they had discovered that Maddie was missing.

Thorin had immediately presumed that Maddie had gone back to Camelot. It was the perfect opportunity for her to disappear. He didn't trust her and had been expecting her to leave.

When Madie had appeared, Thorin had been shocked. He had been so surtain that she would abandon them, that he couldn't believe she was really standing there and was being hugged by Gandalf. And after Maddie had explained why she had stayed, Thorin realized for the first time that maybe he had been wrong about her. That maybe she was more than he gave her credit for.

But now Thorin needed to focus on where he was running, and not on Maddie.

The company had been running for several minutes, when they realized they were trapped. Behind them were the Orcs and in front of them was a huge abyss.

A few Wargs that had run faster than the others, caught up with the company, but were quickly slain by the Dwarves.

'Up into the trees!' Gandalf shouted. 'All of you, climb!'

Everybody quickly chose a tree and tried to stay out of reach of the rest of the Wargs that had arrived.

Thorin lifted himself to a higher branch as a big Warg with large fangs was snapping at his feet. He didn't notice how Gandalf was whispering to a moth.

Then, out of a few conifers, came a white Orc, astride a white Warg.

Thorin pushed away a branch to have a closer look and see whether his eyes were cheating. It couldn't be the Orc he had presumed to be dead for more than 50 years. And yet,. here stood that Orc filth, with a sick smile on his face and an arm with a bludgeon instead of the hand that Thorin had cut off.

'Azog...,' Thorin whispered.

Azog the Defiler took a deep breath through his nose. ' _Do you smell it?_ ' he asked Thorin in Black Speech. ' _Do you smell the scent of fear? I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain.'_

Thorin shook his head. 'It cannot be.' It had to be just a nightmare.

Azog pointed his blusgeon at Thorin and said to his Orcs and Wargs: ' _That one is mine. Kill the others!_ '

The Wargs jumped as high as they could against the trees, but the company was too high. They grabbed the lower branches of the trees and tried to pull themselves up.

Unfortunately, the conifers could not bear the weight of the Dwarves _and_ the Wargs, so they started to fall down. Thorin and the other quickly jumped to the other tree, that also fell down. Eventually, all of the Dwarves were hanging in one tree.

There were now no trees close enough to jump on.

In the distance, Thorin heard Azog laughing. They were trapped and had nowhere to go.

Then he noticed how Maddie grabbed a fir-cone and used her magic to set fire to it. She then threw it on a few bushes who instantly catched flame. The Wargs quickly backend away from the fire.

Gandalf followed Maddie's example and started to lit fir-cones. He and Maddie passed a few of them to the other Dwarves, and it wasn't long before everybody of the company was throwing burning fir-cones down upon the Wargs and the bushes that seperated the Orcs from the Dwarves.

Now the Wargs couldn't reach the company and the Dwarves laughed of their victory.

But the feeling didn't last for long, for the tree that contained the company, also began to fall down. Eventually, the tree hung above the abyss in a horizontal position.

Ori had accidentally let go of his branch and was now hanging at the boot of Nori.

Thorin had managed to stay on his branch and looked up to Azog, who smiled at him.

Suddenly, all the anger and all the hatred Thorin felt against the Orc crossed Thorins mind. This filth had killed his grandfather and many of his kin.

Thorin got up his feet and walked down the trunk of the tree.

The espression on Azog's face turned into surprise as Thorin drew his sword and began to run towards him.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Thorin knew that he shouldn't be doing this. But he couldn't control his rage. He ignored the shouts of the other Dwarves and quickened his pace.

He raised his sword to slay Azog, but Azogs Warg jumped and bumped against Thorin, causing him to fly backwards through the air and land on his back.

Thorin gasped for breath and forced himself to get back on his feet. But before he could even lift his sword, Azog had already ridden back to him and used his bludgeon to send Thorin flying through the air once more.

Azogs Warg then walked towards Thorin and bit him in his torso.

Thorin felt how the teeth penetrated his flesh and screamed in pain. He didn't know how he found the strength to do it, but he lifted his sword and hit the Warg on its nose.

The Warg let go of Thorin and backed away.

Thorin couldn't get up. He was too injured to move.

He heard how Azog spoke to one of his Orcs. ' _Bring me the Dwarf's head._ '

A few second later, a grinning Orc-face appeared above him. Thorin tried to grab his sword, but it was out of his reach. The Orc slowly raised his sword to cut off Thorins head.

Thorin kept his eyes open. If he was going to die, he wanted to see it coming.

Because he kept his eyes open, he was able to see how a black-haired creature pushed the Orc away and pushed its sword through the heart of the Orc.

It was Maddie. She pulled her sword out of the death Orc and stood between him and Azog. 'If you want him, you'll first have to kill me,' he heard her say.

Then, the loss of too much blood caused Thorin to fall into unconsciousness. He closed his eyes and accepted the darkness that claimed him.

* * *

Maddie pulled her sword out of the death Orc and took her position between Thorin and Azog.

'If you want him, you'll first have to me,' she said.

After she had seen how Thorins was about to get beheaded, she had gotten up her feet and rushed towards him without a thought.

Azog yelled: ' _Kill her!_ '

Three Wargs strode towards Maddie. She could never beat them all at once.

Luckily, Fili, Kili and Dwalin had also managed to get off the tree and rushed in to help her. Maddie also fought against a Warg, but made sure to stay close to Thorin.

Then, the Eagles came. With their clawes, they crabbed most of the remaining Wargs and threw them into the abbys. They also used their wings to send the fire towards the Orcs.

The Eagles picked up Maddie, Gandalf and the Dwarves and carried them away from Azog. In the distance Maddie could hear him yell at them.

* * *

It was already the next morning, when the Eagles landed on a rock.

First, Thorin was gently laid down. He still wasn't conscious or moving.

Gandalf jumped of his eagle as soon as they had landed and kneeled down besides Thorin and muttered a spell.

Maddie jumped off her eagle as well and looked on from a distance, hoping that Thorin was alright.

After Gandalf had finished his spell, Thorin's eyes fluttered open. 'The warlock?' he whispered.

'It's all right,' Gandalf answered. 'Maddie is here. She's quite safe.'

Maddie let out a relieved sigh and smiled. She was glad Thorin was alive. She watched how the other Dwarves helped Thorin up his feet. He pushed their helping hands away.

'You!' he spoke angrily towards her and the smile left her face.

'What were you doing?' Thorin continued. 'You nearly got yourself killed! DId I not say you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the Wild? That you had no place amongst us?'

Maddie swallowed and looked at her feet. She didn't dare to look Thorin in the eye. 'Yes,' she answered.

'But still you came back and saved my life,' Thorin whispered.

'I... '

'I have never been so wrong in all my life,' Thorin interrupted Maddie and hugged her.

Maddie was speechless. Had Thorin truly said he'd been wrong? Had she finally won his trust?

She hugged Thorin back, and when they finally stepped back, Thorin looked at her with guilt. 'I am sorry I doubted you.'

'There is no need to apologize,' Maddie assured him. She was already glad that he didn't dislike her anymore. 'I'm not a hero or a warrior. Maybe not even a burglar.'

The Dwarves laughed and Thorin smiled at her.

Then something behind Maddie drew Thorins attention and caused his mouth to fall open. Maddie followed his gaze and asked: 'Is that what I think it is?'

As everybody turned to stare into the disntance, Gandalf nodded. 'Erebor... the lonely Mountain. The last of the great Dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth.'

And right he was, for at the horizon, a solitary peak was to be seen.

Thorin smiled and said: 'Our home.'

A bird flew right by the company in the direction of the mountain. 'A thrush!' Oin said. 'The birds are returning to the mountain.'

Thorin looked at Maddie. 'We'll take it as a sign. A good omen.'

Maddie nodded. 'You're right. I do hope the worst is behind us.'

* * *

The company didn't know that the thrush landed on the mountain side, near a grey stone. There it found a nut and started to hit it against the stone in order to break it.

Deep inside the mountain, buried under a huge pile of gold, Smaug woke up and snorted. Why was he disturbed from his sleep?

He then realized the sound came from a thrush. He knew what it meant.

His mouth formed a wicked grin which showed his teeth.

'Good,' he said. 'They're coming.'


	10. Friends and enemies

**Here is chapter 10. I'm sorry that it took so long, but at least it is here now.**

 **Please review on what you think of it. Should I add more descriptions and/or more feelings in the following chapters?**

 **(PS: if you are interested in the story about the Werewolf that cursed Gwaine (mentioned in this chapter), please review, and maybe I'll write it down as a whole story)**

 **Furthermore, I've read a few stories that contained a brother of Thorin named Frerin (sorry if I spell it incorrectly). Could anyone tell me where in the books or films he appears or where I can find information about him, for I am interested.**

 **The same question about Durin the undeath (or something like that), and the other name of Aragorn: Estel.**

* * *

Maddie putted off her bag and sat down on a rock as the last light of the sun shined upon her face.

It had taken the company the entire day to get off the rock the Eagles had left them. The trip went slowly because of Thorin's injuries.

After getting down, they had found a suitable camping spot surrounded by a few trees.

Maddie looked around to see whether there was something she to help. Fili and Kili were taking the first watch, Bofur started a small fire and Bombur was making a stew.

Maddie stood up and walked towards Gandalf and Oin, who were tending to Thorin. For three years she had lived with a physician, so she knew some things about injuries, and helping Gandalf and Oin was the best thing she could do right now.

'Need some honey?' she asked, as she retrieved a small pot out of her back. 'Against infections.'

Oin nodded, took the honey from her and spread some of it equally on Thorin's wounds. Thorin tensed a bit because it stung, but didn't complain.

Oin then examined the biggest wounds and nodded. 'Those will acquire stitches, but I'm not good in it. My hands are too big.'

'I'll do it,' Maddie offered. 'I've already done it before twice.'

Oin agreed and left with Gandalf to eat.

Maddie sat down and began her task.

It remained quiet for a few moments.

'Thank you again for saving my life,' Thorin said, trying to start a conversation.

Maddie lifted her shoulders. 'Anyone would have done the same.'

'But you're the one who did it.'

Both fell to silence.

Maddie finished her stitches and putted some herbs on the wounds. She then placed a clean bandage, looked at her work and nodded. 'That will do. But you'll have to take things easy for a while.'

Thorin nodded. 'I will. And thank you.'

They both joined the others and ate Bombur's stew. After that, the company turned to bed.

* * *

Balin walked with Thorin at the front of the group and noticed that Thorin regularly looked behind him.

Balin didn't question Thorin's strange behavior at first. Maybe Thorin was just worried that Azog and his pack of Wargs were close behind them. But, on the other hand, the Eagles had taken them quite a distance, so it was unlikely Azog would gain on them in one day.

After Thorin had looked behind him for the Balin didn't know how many time, Balin couldn't restrain his curiosity and asked Thorin: 'Is there something … interesting behind us?'

Thorin looked at his feet. Eventually he answered: 'It's Maddie.'

Balin looked behind him at the girl in question. She was talking to Gandalf. Then he looked back at Thorin. 'What about her?'

'I want to make up for my behavior previous on the quest.'

Balin sighed. Thorin always had believed that deeds counted more than words. This case was no exception. Just saying sorry wasn't enough for him. Still Balin tried.

'Look, Thorin… You've already apologized to Maddie and she has no doubt already forgiven you. I'm sure she's just glad that things are good between you two now.'

Now it was Thorin's time to sigh. 'I know but…'

'But what?'

'It doesn't take away my actions. If I hadn't been so blind, we could have been friends by now.'

Balin nodded. 'So you want to become friends, then.'

'Yes, of course. But I don't know how.'

Balin raised his eyebrow. He had known Thorin since Thorin had been a little boy. Always he had wanted to look strong and not show any weaknesses. And here he was admitting that he didn't know how to become friends with Maddie.

After a moment of thinking, Balin gave Thorin the best advice he knew. 'Talk to her.'

'About what?'

'It doesn't matter what. Anything.'

Balin noticed that Thorin hesitated.

Before Thorin could protest, Balin turned around and walked towards Maddie and Gandalf.

'Gandalf,' he began. 'I need to talk with you about something in private.'

Gandalf raised his eyebrow at Balin. He recognized the look on Balin's face and knew he was up to something, but played along. 'Of course.'

Balin turned towards Maddie. 'Maybe you can take my place besides Thorin for a while.'

Maddie nodded and quickened her pace to catch up with Thorin.

After she had gone out their hearing distance, Gandalf asked Balin: 'Why did you do that?'

Thorin watched how Balin talked to Balin and Maddie and shook his head. He really appreciated Balin's help, but he wanted to talk to Maddie in his own time, when he was ready for it.

Thorin turned his head back when he how Maddie made her way towards him.

Maddie finally caught up with him and walked beside him in silence.

Thorin looked at Maddie and swallowed. He had to say something. The first thing he came up with was: 'Hello.'

Maddie looked back at him and said: 'Hello to you too.'

Both fell back to silence.

After a few minutes, Thorin tried again to start a conversation.

'How's your arm?'

'Fine, thank you,' Maddie answered and showed him her arm. You could see it was bruised because there was a big contusion. But its edges were already turning purple, so that was a good sign.

'How are your wounds?', she then asked.

'Good,' Thorin replied as he shifted his backpack a bit.

The wounds hurt under the weight of his luggage, but Thorin didn't want his men to carry more luggage, just because he was wounded.

Apparently, Maddie had noticed that he had shifted his luggage, because she grabbed his bag and carried it herself. Thorin tried to protest. But Maddie raised her hand and said: 'Doctor's orders to take things easy, remember?' Thorin opened his mouth to speak, but Maddie's look told him that it was pointless to try to get his bag back. So instead, he changed the subject.

'It was good thinking of you, back there with the Wargs. How did get the idea to throw burning fir cones at them?'

Maddie lifted her shoulders. 'I knew that wolves don't like fire, so why not Wargs? You see, Merlin, Gwaine and I had some dealings with a Werewolf before, and…'

Maddie stopped talking and looked a bit apologizing at him. 'You're probably not interested in that,' she said.

'Actually, I'd really much like to hear it,' Thorin contradicted her. And he meant it, for he hadn't expected Maddie to have a story with a _Werewolf_ included in it and at least they would have something to talk about during their walk.

Apparently, Fili and Kili, who were walking behind them and had heard the entire conversation, agreed with him.

'Oh please do tell, Maddie,' Kili said. 'If our uncle doesn't want to hear it, you can tell us about a big Werewolf,' Fili finished.

If Thorin's looks could kill, Fili and Kili would have been no more.

Thorin looked back at Maddie, who was blushing a bit.

'Alright, I tell you,' she said and started her story.

'It happened two years ago. Gwaine had been send to a nearby kingdom to represent Camelot. After receiving no word of him for more than two weeks, Merlin and I decided to go looking for him. We had just entered the kingdom Gwaine had been meant to go to, when the moon came up. It was a full moon…'

* * *

Maddie filled the rest of the day with telling stories, Even during their dinner she was asked to tell a story (thanks to two enthusiastic brothers).

She'd been a bit surprised when Balin had earlier asked shown up and had asked her to go over to Thorin, but she had gone nonetheless.

After a few minutes of attempts to start a conversation, Thorin, Fili and Kili persuaded Maddie to tell her story about the Werewolf that had once cursed Gwaine.

First Maddie had been a bit shy. But as she continued to tell the story, she could see that Thorin was really interested and listening to her. In fact, after she had finished the story, he had even asked her to tell another one.

Maddie was preparing her bedroll for the night when Thorin walked towards her. 'Thank you for the stories,' he said with a smile.

Maddie lifted her shoulders. 'That's the price for being too adventurous, I'm afraid,' she answered with a chuckle. 'Maybe next time you can tell a story.'

' _Me_? About what?'

'Anything you want.'

After a few seconds, Thorin nodded and walked away.

* * *

Gandalf and Balin were smoking their pipes together as they watched how Thorin talked to Maddie.

'Do think it worked?' Balin asked Gandalf.

Gandalf changed his tobacco while thinking of the question. Maddie and Thorin had spent the entire day together and it seemed like they were getting on together.

'Yes, I think it did,' Gandalf answered Balin while putting his pipe back in his mouth. He then watched how Thorin returned to his bedroll with a smile on his face. 'Oh, yes it did…'

* * *

For the next few weeks, Maddie and Thorin quickly became good friends. They often walked together while they told each other stories. Gandalf and the others often listened.

Maddie told Thorin stories of magical creatures she had met and friends she had made.

Thorin only told a few stories about his past. Maddie figured out that he found it difficult to talk about his home that had been taken by Smaug. She accepted that and didn't say anything about it.

Thorin was glad Maddie and he were friends now and he made sure to ask her opinion every time a decision needed.

There were also times were they didn't say anything to each other, but were just enjoying each other's company.

Everybody in the group agreed that Maddie's and Thorin's friendship was the start of something new. Of something good.

* * *

' _You killed her! You killed Kara!'_

 _Maddie watched how Morded fought with Arthur. She saw how Arthur tripped over a dead body and fell on his back. Mordred raised his sword to kill Arthur._

 _Maddie pushed the man in front of her out of her way and ran towards Arthur while casting a spell at Mordred._

 _The spell didn't affect Mordred. He just looked up at her, smiled sickly and lowered his sword towards Arthur's heart._

'No!'

Maddie woke up from her nightmare panting. Her back was wet.

'Maddie, are you alright?' Kili asked. He and Fili were holding watch and both looked concerned at her.

After a few moments, Maddie nodded. 'I'm fine, thank you. Just a nightmare.'

Maddie stood up, she was sure she wouldn't sleep for a while after such a dream.

Since one of the first days she had been in Middle-earth, she had had nightmares about how Arthur died. First there had been a lot of them. But while becoming friends with Thorin, she hadn't thought much about Arthur anymore and the nightmares had become less often. Now they were only once in a while.

Always the nightmares were the same. Mordred shouted that Arthur had killed somebody named Kara. They fought and Arthur tripped. Mordred raised his sword to kill Arthur and then she woke up. Every time.

Maddie sighed and walked away from the camp.

The last few days, the company had been following a river. And it was that river Maddie was heading to for a good splash of water into her face.

She walked around some bushes and then stopped.

At the shore of the river, on a big stone, sat Thorin. With sad eyes he looked at the floating water.

Maddie approached him silently, not knowing whether he wanted to be alone or not.

Apparently, Thorin had good ears, for when Maddie was only a few meters behind him he asked: 'Can't sleep?'

Maddie was a bit surprised Thorin had heard her coming, but on the other hand, Thorin was a warrior, so he had to have good hearing.

'No', she answered to his question and kept walking until she stood beside him. 'And you?'

Thorin shook his head and sighed. 'Me neither.' He then looked up at her.

Maddie noticed his face still looked rather sad. Maybe he wanted to be left alone. 'If you want me to leave you alone, I can…'

'No, no… ,' Thorin interrupted her. 'I… I'd like some company.'

Maddie sat down beside Thorin and gave him a thoughtful look. He still looked sad. 'Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?' she asked. She wanted to help him, if she could.

Thorin looked at his feet and hesitated for a moment, but then made up his mind. 'It has been 60 years since Smaug took the Lonely Mountain,' he began. 'In all those years my people dreamed of the day we would retake it. But… what if we fail? What if we can't defeat the Dragon? And what if I get dragon sickness just like my grandfather? What if… Erebor doesn't feel like home anymore?'

Maddie understood Thorin's fear about failing on the quest. She had the same thoughts about saving Arthur. Of the rest, she could only guess how Thorin felt.

'Thorin,' she said with a stern voice, forcing him to look up at her. 'You have to keep faith, for if you lose hope, this quest is doomed to fail. You will take back the Mountain and you will be a great king. And I will stand by you, till the end.'

'Till the end?' Thorin asked.

Maddie nodded. 'Till the end.'

A promise was made.

* * *

Kili, Fili and Maddie kneeled in front of the track they had found to have a closer look at it.

A week had passed since Thorin had told Maddie about his worries of the Mountain. Since then, Thorin had slowly began to tell more tales of his past and the Mountain. Maddie listened with great interest.

Thorin's style of telling stories was a bit different than that of Balin. Balin was very enthusiastic while telling stories and often used wide hand gestures (he had once accidentally slapped Oin in the face).

Thorin, however, had a more calmly way of telling stories, but Maddie didn't mind it.

Now, Maddie, Fili and Kili were on a hunt while the rest of the company was setting up their camp.

'What do you think it is?' Kili asked as he gestured at the track.

Maddie frowned. She knew that track and wasn't very pleased to see it. 'It's a wild boar.'

Fili's eyes grew big. 'A wild boar?' Maddie nodded.

Wild boars were dangerous creatures, especially because of their enormous strength and fangs.

Maddie felt uneasy seeing a wild boar track so close to the company's path. They could be attacked by the boar by surprise. So she said: 'I think it's best to check whether the wild boar is still around or not. Maybe you two should get back to the others with the pheasant we've caught earlier while I follow the trail of the boar.'

'You want to follow the boar _on your own_?' Kili asked surprised. 'What if it attacks you? Don't you need help then?'

Maddie shook her head. 'I have my magic to protect myself.'

After a few hesitations, Kili and Fili left Maddie alone and went to the others.

Maddie followed the trail. It seemed it had been heading towards the river, maybe to drink.

In the distance, Maddie could already hear the water streaming. She speeded up her pace.

After several minutes of walking, she reached the river. In surprise she stopped. She had found the wild boar, but not how she expected.

On a rock on the shore of the river lay the remains of the boar. Someone had killed it and eaten the lot of it.

Maddie frowned. Who could have killed it? It hadn't been the company and there wasn't anyone else around, unless….

A branch snapped behind somebody's feet behind Maddie.

Maddie turned around and found an Orc running towards her. Quickly she hit it with a spell which sent the Orc flying backwards against a tree.

Another Orc came out of the bushes on Maddie's left. Before Maddie could respond, the Orc hit her on her head with a club.

Maddie sank down to the ground. The last thing she remembered before darkness claimed her was an Orc smiling down upon her.

* * *

 **And what do you think of it? Thrilling end? Or not so much? Again, please review.**


	11. Captured

**Here is chapter 11. It's a short one, I know. Next one I'll try to make longer. Please review and say what you think about it.**

 **This chapter is based on a few fanfics I've read about Bilibo being captured by Azog and Thorin to the rescue and a fanfic where Bilbo fell in the water and Thorin saved him. Sorry but I don't their titles anymore, so if you see something and think "Hey that looks like my story", you know that maybe I've based my story on that.**

 **PS: at some point, I've accidentally putted a horizontal line in the story that doesn't belong there. Please ignore that.**

* * *

Thorin paced around. He tried to sit down but immediately stood back up and started to pace again.

He heard how Balin sighed. 'Thorin, I'm sure Maddie is fine.'

'Then why has she not yet returned?' Thorin asked. 'I'm not leaving without her.'

Three hours had passed since Kili and Fili had returned with the message that Maddie was following a trail of a wild boar and would return soon.

Three hours had passed since then and there was still no sign of her. Thorin worried about his friend. Checking whether a dangerous animal was still around couldn't take _this_ long. What if the wild boar had attacked Maddie by surprise?

A few bushes cracked.

Thorin turned around to see that Dwalin, Fili and Kili had returned. About half an hour ago he had ordered them to search for Maddie. 'Well?' Thorin asked.

'We found her tracks… ,' Kili started. '…and we followed them until they disappeared near the river,' Fili continued. 'She wasn't there, but we found a…'. Fili, Kili and Dwalin exchanged worried looks.

'What did you find?' Thorin asked, afraid of the answer.

After a few more moments of silence, Dwalin answered: 'A dead Orc.'

* * *

Maddie tried to open her eyes, but shut them again when a wave of pain was sent through her head. She tried to remember what had happened.

She had been following the trail of a wild boar until she had come across the river. And then an Orc had appeared out of nowhere.

Maddie opened her eyes (this time successfully) and tried to move. She had to warn Thorin and the others that the Orcs had caught up them. The sky around her was pitch-black.

She wanted to get up, but noticed her hands were bound to her chest with a silver chain. The chain had been decorated with several runes.

Maddie summoned a spell in order to release herself, but it didn't work. In fact, the chain became even tighter, like someone had removed a few rings of the chain.

Then, a voice laughed behind. ' _Magic won't save you now, little Warlock_.'

Maddie turned her head and looked right in the eyes of Azog the Defiler. He was sitting on a trunk next to a fire with a dozen other Orcs around him. Further away from her were two other fires with Orcs around it.

Azog stood up and walked towards her. ' _My scout told me how you had managed to kill Bruclmad, so I took the necessary precautions_ ,' Azog continued in Black Speech. Maddie understood everything he said.

Azog stopped walking after reaching her and smiled sickly. ' _You see, if you try to use a spell, it won't work and it will only make it more difficult for you to breath._ '

Merlin had once told Maddie he had been captured by Morgause and had been bound by chains that shrank every time you used a spell. It seemed Azog possessed a same sort of chain.

Without a warning, Azog kicked Maddie in her stomach. Maddie would have screamed, if the air hadn't abandoned her lungs with Azog's kick.

' _Tell me where Thorin Oakenshield is_!'

Maddie shook her head. 'I'll never tell you.'

Azog just smiled. ' _Stubborn. Just like your father._ '

Maddie stared at Azog in shock. 'My father?' she asked in confusion. Azog knew her father?'

Azog nodded. ' _Yes. I managed to kill him thanks to his stubbornness. And because of his dead, your mother died too of grief, leaving you and your brother as orphans. I just took your father by his hear and chopped his head off._ '

Maddie didn't know her past. She didn't know a thing about her parents. But still, hearing Azog tell how he killed her father, made her angry. She managed to kick azog with her legs and also tried to conjure a few spells, with no result, except that the chain became even tighter.

Azog didn't feel any pain of Maddie's kick. But Maddie's boldness did make him furious. He grabbed Maddie by her throat and lifted her up.

Maddie struggled in Azog grab, but he didn't let go of her. Instead, his hand squeezed her throat shut. Maddie couldn't breath and slowly dark spots appeared before her eyes.

Suddenly, Azog screamed and let go of Maddie.

Maddie fell down on the ground. She gasped for breath and looked up.

An arrow with yellow feathers stuck out of Azog's arm.

* * *

Thorin sat impatiently behind a few bushes. He saw how Azog and a few of his men were sitting around a campfire. He had noticed Maddie lying a few metres away from the Orcs, unconscious and tied up in chains.

Thorin really wanted to rush out, kill Azog and save Maddie, but he knew that wouldn't do any good. He would most likely be killed before he could say Azog's name. So he sat behind his bushes alongside Fili, Kili and Dwalin, waiting for Gandalf's sign to attack.

Suddenly, Maddie started to move. Thorin heard how Azog laughed and said something to her.

Then Azog stood up, walked towards her and kicked Maddie in her stomach. Thorin tightened his grip around his sword.

Azog asked Maddie something, but she shook her head.

A few minutes later, Maddie kicked Azog and shouted some spells at him. Thorin watched in amazement. Maddie was really a brave one, he thought. She was still trying to fight, even when she was chained and captured by a group of Orcs.

But Thorin's amazement soon turned into fear as he saw how Azog grabbed Maddie by her throat and lifted her up.

He just turned his head towards Kili to tell him to grab his bow and try to shoot Azog, when he saw that Kili had already done it. A yellow-feathered arrow stuck out of Azog's arm.

It had no use hiding anymore, for the Orcs had now been alerted about their presence, so Thorin jumped out of his bushes and attacked. He heard how Kili, Fili, Dwalin and the others who had been hiding elsewhere, followed his example.

Thorin stabbed the first Orc on his path and the second one he beheaded.

Then he heard Gandalf shouting his name. Thorin looked up and saw him fighting at other end of the camp. 'Thorin, get Maddie out of here!' Gandalf shouted and turned around, for an Orc was about to stab him in the back.

Thorin looked back to the place where he had last seen Maddie. She was still lying there, but her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving.

He quickly rushed to her sight, ignoring his fear and telling himself that she was alive.

When he dropped to his knees beside her, Thorin noticed that Maddie's chains were very tight around her. Quickly he used his sword to break the chain and pulled it from her.

Maddie didn't move for another few seconds, but then her eyes fluttered open and she gasped for breath. Thorin felt incredibly relieved to see Maddie was still alive.

He then grabbed her arm and pulled her up. 'Run,' he said. 'We need to run.'

* * *

Maddie opened her eyes and saw Thorin stare down upon her. he seemed relieved.

He then pulled her up by her arm. Maddie stumbled a bit, but then found her balance again.

'Run,' Thorin said. 'We need to run.' He then grabbed her by her hand and pulled her away from the fight, into the forest.

'What about the others?' Maddie asked.

'They'll be fine. We need to get you of here first,' Thorin answered, but Maddie knew he would rather fight with his men, than leave them to their fate.

Suddenly they heard growling and screaming behind them. Maddie and Thorin turned around. Two Orcs were following them on their Wargs.

Maddie raised her hands and shouted: ' _Flamare_ '.

Fire appeared in front of them and the Wargs backed away, scared of being burned.

* * *

Maddie grabbed Thorin's hand again and said: 'Come on. The fire won't hold them off for long.'

And so they ran again through the forest. Maddie head hurt, but she didn't say anything about it. She just hoped that Thorin knew where they were going.

That hope was proven false, for after a few minutes, they stumbled upon a cliff. Maddie could see a river floating in the deep.

She and Thorin wanted to go back into the forest and run into another direction, but out of the bushes appeared the two Orcs.

Maddie watched the Orcs on Wargs and quickly realized that this was a fight they could not win. She didn't have any weapons and was weakened, and Thorin couldn't handle two Orcs and two Wargs all by himself.

Maddie glanced back down the cliff again. There was only one way to go. 'Do you trust me?' she asked Thorin.

After a small hesitation, Thorin nodded.

Then, Maddie pushed Thorin off the cliff and jumped after him.

It felt like hours before she reached the water, but when she finally did, she gasped because the water was ice-cold.

Maddie heard how the Orcs screamed above her in their defeat. She started to swim towards the shore. But then she realized she didn't see Thorin.

Panicked she shouted his name and looked around her. No answer or sight of him.

Maddie then dived in the water, desperately hoping she would find him. No result.

She tried again. But her hope was fading. It was dark underwater and the need for air became stronger.

Just when she was about to give up, her hand touched a body.

Quickly she grabbed it, and swam to the surface. She then saw that it was indeed Thorin in her arms.

She pulled his unconscious body above her, so he wouldn't swallow any water again, and then started to swim towards the shore, using mostly her legs.

She dragged Thorin's body on the dry land. There, she pulled him in a sitting position and slapped a few times on his back.

After a moment, life came back to Thorin and he started to cough up water.

Angry he looked at her. 'Why did you do that, pushing me off that cliff?' he asked. 'Dwarves can't swim. They don't like water.'

'I'm sorry,' Maddie apologized. She truly hadn't known that Dwarves couldn't swim. 'It was the only way to escape.'

After a few moments, Thorin agreed. 'Let's go and find the others he said.'

Two hours later, they caught up with the rest of the company, who had managed to escape the Orcs as well. Together they kept running through the night, hoping they would outrun the Orcs.


	12. Beorn part I

**And here is chapter 13. I'm really sorry chapter 11 appeared 3 months after chapter 10, and this chapter 2 months after chapter 11 (and when I began to write I thought 2 weeks between chapters was long ;) ). I'm really sorry. I'm just not as much in the "Hobbit-mood" as I was at beginning of the story. But I'm still writing (else you wouldn't be about to read this new chapter) and I'm trying to get back in the Hobbit-mood. I'm going to watch the movies again and maybe even read the Hobbit again and I'm going to try to deliver the next chapter faster than this one. Like I've said in previous chapters, I'm really going to finish this story (I also have been forging two or three sequels ;) ).**

 **But anyway, enjoy reading, pleeeeaaaase leave a review, for I haven't been getting a lot of them lately. I'm really interested in what you think about it, what you had really expected to happen or what you think will happen further in story.**

 **I don't own Merlin nor the Hobbit, only my OC Maddie.**

 **LOTS of thanks to my sweet sister who helped me a LOT on the romantic part (Oh _yes,_ we're finally getting romantic, wink wink)** **I couldn't have done it without her.**

 **APOLGIES for any grammar mistakes. I'm not a native English speaker.**

 **WARNING FOR THE CHAPTER AFTER THIS ONE: IT MAY OR MAY NOT CONTAIN CUTE, FLUFFY LITTLE BUNNY'S WITH BIG PUPPY-EYES (you readers can now start wondering what I mean by that, leave a review about it if you like).**

* * *

Maddie carefully peeked above her hiding spot. Behind her was a big forest where the rest of the company was waiting for her. In front of her, across a ravine, were 30 Orcs and their Wargs.

Azog and his Orcs were just a few miles away, but it didn't seem that they had found the companies trail yet, for they were riding in a different direction.

For 2 days, Maddie, Gandalf and the Dwarves had been trying to outrun the Orcs and today Maddie had been given the task to check how far the Orc pack was behind them.

Maddie now could see that the pack was close. Far too close for her liking. It wouldn't be long before the Wargs had caught the scent of the company.

Maddie crawled away from her hiding spot, but then heard growling to her left. When she looked for the source of the growling, she had to put a hand infront of her mouth to stop herself from screaming.

A few meters away, on a big rock, stood a giant bear. He had a black fur, big fangs and piercing black eyes. On a few places, the fur wasn't present anymore, for the bear also had a few scars. The most terrifying about the bear weren't its fangs, but its size. It was twice the size of a normal bear. _At least_.

The bear hadn't noticed Maddie, for it was looking at the Orcs with a face not too friendly.

As the bear let out another growl, Maddie decided to head back to the others. She didn't want to be noticed by the bear.

She ran back into the forest to where she had left the company. The Dwarves and Gandalf were siting in a circle and talking to each other.

Maddie cleared her throat so they would notice her.

The company looked up and Thorin stood up and walked towards her. His eyes trailed up to the bandage around her head. The Orc that had kidnapped Maddie 3 days ago, had hid her with a bludgeon. The result was a cut that went from her forehead and through her eyebrow, but stopped just above her eye. Luckily, it looked worse than it actually was. Oin had stitched it and putted a bandage on it.

'How close is the pack?' Thorin asked.

'Too close,' Maddie answered while catching her breath. 'Just a couple of miles, no more. It won't be long before they've found us. But I also saw a huge black bear.'

The rest of the company stood up as well and exchanged worried looks.

'I say we double back,' Bofur suggested.

Dwalin shook his head. 'Then we will be hunted down by the Orcs for sure.'

Gandalf, who had been silent during the whole conversation, finally said something.

'There is a house where we _might_ take shelter.'

'Who's house?' Thorin asked. 'Are they friend or foe?'

Neither,' Gandalf answered with a serious look on his face. 'He will help us, _or_ … he will kill.'

In the distance, the company heard the howling of the Wargs. They had picked up their scent.

Thorin sighed. 'What choice do we have?'

Then the bear let out another growl. It was much closer to the company now.

'None,' Gandalf answered Thorin.

So the company started to run while Gandalf leaded them.

After a few minutes, they had left the forest and were running on a field. In the distance, they could see a big, wooden house, surrounded by a high, wooden wall.

As they reached the entrance of the wall, they heard how something was growling and coming out of the woods behind them. A few Dwarves turned around to see what it was. Apparently it was not good, for the expressions of the Dwarves turned into frightened ones and they increased their running speed.

Maddie didn't need to look around to see what was behind them, for she had heard those growls before: they belonged to the huge black bear who she had seen earlier on. But she too increased her pace.

The company ran through the gate in the wall and found themselves on a courtyard. Maddie hardly had the time to notice that there were bees swarming with the size of her hand, for they were still followed by the bear, and it seemed to get closer.

They ran towards the door of the house, only to find it locked. The company slammed on the door, hoping it would somehow break open, but alas it did not.

'Thorin!' Maddie shouted. She had noticed how to open the door. It was the same type of door that was often used in Camelot. The only problem was that she was at the very back of the group and could impossible battle her way through thirteen big, heavy Dwarves.

Thorin, who was one of the Dwarves close to the door, turned around to face Maddie.

'You have to pull that lever up to open the door!' Maddie shouted, trying to make herself hearable to Thorin through all the noise the other Dwarves made.

Thorin turned back and looked if he could see what Maddie was talking about. He did and soon the door was opened.

Everybody quickly went inside and Nori and Bifur quickly closed the door behind them.

And not a moment too soon, for a second after they had closed the door, they heard the bear banging against.

A few minutes later the banging stopped and they heard the bear walking away while still growling.

'What _was_ that?' the Dwarves asked to no one in particular with horrified faces.

It was Gandalf who choose to answer. 'That is our host.'

Everybody looked up to Gandalf with surprised faces and raised eyebrows. How on earth could _that_ be their host? Only a minute ago the bear had tried to _kill_ them no less.

'His name is Beorn. He's a Skin-changer,' Gandalf explained before changing the subject.

'In any case, I suggest you all get some sleep. You'll be save here tonight.' In a softer voice he added: 'I hope.'

* * *

Thorin turned around again. He didn't know how many times he had done that already, he had lost count. He tried to find a more comfortable spot, but with no avail. Finally, with a sigh, he gave up: he wouldn't go to sleep.

He stood up and looked at the others of the company who were sleeping, with exception of Gandalf, who was sitting in a haystack and smoking his pipe. He looked further.

Most of the Dwarves were sleeping with their family. Bifur, Bofur and Bombur were sleeping next to each other, as well were Dori and Ori. Nori, their third brother, preferred a little more privacy. That, however, didn't count for Fili and Kili, who were practically _curled_ into one another. Thorin watched them with a fond smile. His nephews really were inseparable.

Thorin let his gaze go through the rest of the company and noticed that one face was missing, a certain Warlocks face.

He looked questioningly at Gandalf, who simply nodded towards a door.

Thorin walked towards the door and knocked. 'Maddie?'

After a small hesitation he opened the door.

Maddie was sitting on the floor in front of a blue light ball, clearly made by her magic. She had taken her jacket off. Apparently, beneath the jacket she wore a white shirt, normally putted in her pants, but now hanging freely around her waist. Her hair was loose and her feet bare. Thorin had never before seen Maddie like this before. She looked so… _free_. As if she didn't have a single worry (like crossing a forest filled with scary creatures and facing a gigantic Dragon). She had taken her bandages off and a scar was beginning to form on her forehead and her eyebrow.

Thorin hadn't liked Maddie at the beginning of their journey, it was true. "What could the company _possibly_ gain from a _girl_ in their midst, Warlock or not? She would probably only cause delay and such things, and when opportunity would arise, she would surely return back to her precious Camelot and forsaken their quest." That had been his thinking at the beginning of the quest and, if he was being honest with himself, he was a bit ashamed of his behavior. She had done nothing to gain his mistrust. Since Thranduil had turned his back on him and his kin the day Erebor fell, Thorin had had problems to trust outsiders.

In the Misty Mountains, Maddie would have fallen in the ravine, if it hadn't been for Thorin to pull her back on the path. Thorin still hadn't liked Maddie, but she didn't deserve to die, and certainly not like that. Later, after they had reached the cave, he had overheard her talk with Bofur, and he couldn't have helped, but feeling a pang of guilt in his chest. No matter what he told himself, it had been there. He had never considered the warlocks feelings before and that was the point where he had begun to wonder. Shouldn't he have given her a chance after all?

His question had been answered after their escape from the Goblins. Maddie could have left them, it was the perfect opportunity to disappear. But she hadn't left them. She had come back. And when Thorin had asked her why, he hadn't been disliking towards her, for there had to be a reason why she had come back. And he had actually _believed_ her answer.

Later she had saved him from Azog and his distrust had vanished completely. Someone who still had come back, had _saved his life_ , after all that he had one to her, simply _deserved_ his trust. And soon (with a little help of Balin. Without him he couldn't have done it, he admitted that), he had become friends with her. They often talked to each other, or walked together in a comfortable silence. Maddie always made sure that she was there if Thorin was troubled or needed to talk. Thorin didn't know why he deserved such kindness.

When Maddie had been kidnapped, Thorin had truly been worried. Seeing her again in one peace had sent a wave of relief flooding through his body. At the same time, he had been furious at Azog. Not only for seeing the piece of filth that had killed some of his family. No, it had also been because he had the nerf to kidnap _his_ Warlock. If Azog wanted one, he should find his own.

Now, Thorin was watching the Warlock with her long curly hair and bare feet with a smile on face. Maddie still hadn't noticed him and was mending her jacket while humming a tune Thorin didn't know. Her mind seemed miles away.

Thorin cleared his throat to make his presence known.

Maddie turned towards him and gave him a smile. 'Can't sleep?'

Thorin shook his head.

Maddie nodded and patted on the ground beside her. 'If you want, you may join me.'

Thorin took her offer and sat down beside her with his legs crossed beneath him and Maddie continued with mending her jacket. After a while she started to hum the tune he had heard earlier. 'What are you humming?' he asked.

Maddie looked up at him. 'It's a song they sing in Camelot,' she answered. 'If its bothering you, I can stop…'

'No, no,' Thorin interrupted her. 'It doesn't bother me. '

'It's a song from Camelot,' Maddie explained, before looking into her light ball and frowning, obviously thinking about her friends and the place she had lived.

'You miss it, don't you?' Thorin asked. 'Camelot?' Thorin could understand the feeling. He had missed his home for sixty years.

Maddie shrugged. 'A bit. But...' Maddie frowned.

Thorin gently grabbed Maddie's shoulder. 'Tell me,' he said. He wanted to be there for Maddie.

Maddie took a deep breath before explaining: 'I don't know who my parents are or where I come from. My earliest memories are of meeting Merlin when I was four years old. I can't remember what happened before that. Merlin, his mother Hunith and his uncle Gaius raised me, but I wondered (and I still wonder) about my true family. Where are they? Are they still alive? Do they know where I've been all this time? Do they care about me or my fate? Merlin, Hunith and Gaius are amazing people who cared for me and loved me, but it never truly felt like home for me.'

Thorin released Maddie's shoulder and grabbed her hand. Her gave it a squeeze and said: 'I'm sorry.' Maddie had never told him _this_ before.

Maddie let out a shy smile. 'Don't be,' she replied. 'You had it far worse than I.'

Thorin raised his eyebrows and he was sure Maddie saw the surprise on his face. ' _Me_? _I_ , at least, _have_ a family and a home to return to. But _you_ … you have never even _known_ your home and family.'

'But you know the feeling of losing your family and I haven't,' Maddie contradicted him.

The Dwarf and the Warlock looked into each other's eyes for a moment before Maddie sighing. 'Are we really arguing about this?' she asked while tilting her head slightly.

Then the both of them burst out in laughing, for they realized how silly their arguing had been.

'But do you know what is strange?' Maddie asked once Thorin and she had composed themselves once more.

Thorin shook his head.

'I think that maybe I'm from Middle-earth instead of Camelot.'

Thorin looked surprised again. 'Really? Why?'

'Because when I try to remember my past, the only thing that comes up is a green flash, just before waking up in the forest where Merlin finds me. And it is also a green flash that brought me to Middle-earth.

And back in Rivendell, when I told Elrond my name, I could see recognition in his eyes. There was also a broken sword. When I touched it, I saw a memory: I was saying goodbye to a boy before riding of on a horse with a man I don't know. After a while, we were being followed. I fell off the horse before a black flash blinded my eyes. Then I woke up in the woods where Merlin found me. So that green flash has to be the same as from my earliest memories.

And...'

Maddie hesitated to tell her next reason. She looked back into her light ball with a sad expression on her face.

Thorin gave another encouraging squeeze in her hand. He could see how Maddie took a deep breath before continuing.

'When Azog had kidnapped me... ,' Thorin tensed a bit, for he still mad at the Pale Orc, also for the kidnapping. '... Azog told me that he had killed my father. That he knew that it was _my_ father because I looked like him. And that the death of my had caused my mother to die of grief, leaving me and my brother as orphans.'

Thorin looked at Maddie in shock. He hadn't expected _this_. If what Azog had said was true, than it meant that Maddie _too_ had lost family to the Pale Orc.

Maddie looked back at him, saw his expression and squeezed his hand. 'I know,' she said in understanding. She knew what he was thinking about.

Thorin swallowed and shook his head to press away his painful memories. Then he asked: 'So what are you going to do with?'

A thinking expression came across Maddie. Then she seemed to have made up her mind. 'First, I'm going to help you to take back Erebor,' she began. 'Secondly, I've promised to try to save Arthur, so, no matter how much I want to stay here to find my brother that Azog mentioned (he must have been the boy in the memory I saw in Rivendell), I'll have to go back to Camelot to save him.'

Thorin nodded. He knew that Maddie always kept true to her word. 'And then?' he asked.

Maddie looked back at her light ball. 'If I could, I would like to come back to Middle-earth, find my brother and maybe even visit your mountain.'

Thorin smiled. Silently he promised himself that, if Maddie should return to Middle-earth, he would do anything he could to help her find her family.

He then remembered a ring that his father had once given him. It bore the seal of the House of Durin. For some reason, Thorin felt like Maddie should have it. So he shove the ring off his finger, picked up her hand and placed the ring in it. 'This ring once belonged to my father,' he explained. 'It has the seal of the House of Durin on it.'

Maddie looked at the ring with big eyes. 'Thorin, I can't possibly take it. It is...'

'It is mine to give to whom I want,' Thorin interrupted her.

'But why would you want to give it to me? It's a heirloom of your line and one of the few memories you have of your father.'

'Because of your part in our quest and your loyalty, honour and your willing heart. We wouldn't have got this far without you. If you're ever in need of help, just show this ring to a Dwarf and you will receive it, for you will be recognized as a friend of Durin.'

Maddie sighed and Thorin saw she was giving up her attempts to change his mind. She looked into his eyes and said: 'Thank you.' But while speaking those two words, her eyes said more than a thousand words could. Thorin didn't know why, but that look did four things to him.

1: He suddenly got very warm.

2: His stomach knitted together in a tight knot.

3: His heart began to beat a lot faster.

4: He realized how close he was sitting to Maddie.

Thorin had never felt this way before, and he didn't know why he felt like this now. He couldn't even control the blush that was beginning to form on his cheeks. He was so pre-occupied with trying to decipher his feelings that he almost missed Maddie next words.

'It's too big.'

'What?' Thorin asked confused, already forgotten what they had talked about just a moment ago.

'The ring,' Maddie explained. 'It's too big for my finger.' She showed him what it looked like and couldn't hold back a laugh. Compared to a Dwarf's finger, Maddie's dinger were very thin. The ring could easily on two of Maddie's fingers. Quickly he came up with a solution. 'You can wear it around your neck.'

He looked around and saw a stripe of leather lying in Maddie's stuff. He grabbed it, putted one end through the ring and bound the two loose ends together. He then putted it around her neck, trying to ignore the soft feeling of her hair, because for some reason, he knew that that strange feeling would come up again. His intentions failed miserably, for his heart beated faster once more.

Trying to get away from the feeling, he quickly said: 'We should get some sleep.'

Maddie nodded and bid him her goodnights.

Thorin did the same and quickly returned to his sleeping spot.

As he pulled his blanket on him, he still wondered about what had just happened. Why had he given her his father's ring? And why had he felt so strange around her? He had never felt like that before.

It was a good while later when Thorin finally fell asleep, still pounding on his new feeling. But when his did drift off to sleep, he dreamed about a black-haired Warlock.


	13. Beorn part II

**Hey guys! Sorry, I know it has been 4 months since the last chapter, but if anybody is still following me, there is now a new chapter. I can again make the promise "I will finish this". Probably you don't buy that anymore, but I will. The thing is that I only write a fanfic of a movie/book when I am in that book/movie-mood. When I'm not in the mood, the chapter is going to be TERRIBLE. Now I wasn't specifically in a Hobbit-mood, but I still managed a short chapter that isn't too bad.**

* * *

The next day Maddie woke up with Thorin's ring in her hand. She looked at it with a smile. The ring was beautiful in a ruff way, decorated in a language unknown to her. It was probably Dwarvish.

Thorin hadn't needed to give her the ring. But on the other hand she was glad to know that he trusted her and considered her as a close and true friend.

Maddie thought about him in a similar way, as a friend. They had become friends rather quickly after she had saved his life, but all that mattered they were good friends now. _He_ was a good friend now. Yes, Thorin could be rude, pick headed, broody, moody and _very_ stubborn (she was pretty sure he was the most stubborn Dwarf alive, despite if she only knew thirteen of them). Basically a prat like Arthur. He also didn't give his trust qick nor did he make friends easily. But once you saw past his moody and cold outside, you would see an entire other Dwarf. Brave, loyal, kind, someone who cared for his people and friends and loved his family. Sometimes he was even reckless, but he was a good person.

Maddie let go of the ring, stood up and went to the door that separated her from the rest of the company. The Dwarves had insisted that she would a room of her own because she was a girl, even when they had all slept together whilst traveling on the road.

When Maddie entered the other room, she saw that Gandalf and the Dwarves were discussing something. 'What's going on?' she asked.

'The Skin-changer has returned,' Bofur answered. 'He's out in the courtyard chopping wood.'

'Beorn already knows we're here, so I suggest we should go introduce ourselves. Maddie and I will go first,' Gandalf said.

'Why you two?' Bombur asked.

'Because Beorn isn't overly fond of Dwarves,' Gandalf explained.

Maddie nodded. She had her sword and her magic to protect herself if necessary. And human-Beorn couldn't be as frightening as bear-Beorn, right?

When Maddie and Gandalf walked out of the door, Beorn was indeed, as Bofur had said before, chopping wood. In his human form, he was huge. Almost twice the size of Maddie. He had long brown hear and a beard. At the moment, he only wore pants and leather boots. His upper body was unclothed and you could see he was very muscled.

Gandalf cleared his throat to get the Skin-changer's attention.

Beorn stopped chopping and looked up to the Wizard and Warlock. 'Who are you, what are you doing here and what do you want?'

Gandalf was the one who answered. 'My name is Gandalf, Gandalf the Grey.'

Beorn looked unimpressed. 'Never heard of him.'

'But maybe you have heard of my cousin Radagast the Brown.'

Beorn nodded. 'Aye, him I do know. He's a good fellow.' Then his gaze wandered over to Maddie. 'And who is that little bunny?'

Maddie raised her eyebrow. 'Little bunny?' She was sure she heard a few of the Dwarfs snickering behind the door.

'That, my dear mister Beorn, is Maddie. She is a Warlock who has been traveling with me.'

'Fair enough. And what are you doing here?'

'Well, first we were captured by Goblins and then we were followed by Orcs. We wanted to take refuge in your home.'

Beorn raised his eyebrow. 'Orcs and Goblins, you say? That's a tale I would like to hear from you and Little Bunny.'

Again, sniggering was heard from the house. This time, even Beorn couldn't have missed it? 'Do you, by any chance, have _other_ companions as well?' he asked.

Gandalf sighed and signaled for the Dwarves to come out. One by one, the company appeared and Beorn's brows went further up. The last one to leave the house was Thorin. He and Maddie locked their eyes for a moment. There was a look on his face she couldn't decipher. It contained worry, relief, joy, confusion and something else. Something she did not know. Maddie had never seen Thorin look like that before. Maddie broke eye contact and looked back to Beorn.

'Thirteen dwarves?'

'That would be correct,' Gandalf answered the Skin-changer. 'As I said, we were captured by Goblins and are now followed by Orcs. We merely sought out your home for shelter and help.'

Beorn walked towards the group, his axe still in his hand. A few of the Dwarves grew a bit nervous.

'I don't like Dwarves,' Beorn said. 'They are greedy and blind, blind to the lives of the ones they deem lesser than their own…' His eyes studied each of Dwarves faces.

'But Orcs I hate more. Tell me what you need.'

* * *

After breakfast, Beorn and Gandalf left the house, and most of the Dwarves went practicing their fighting skills in the courtyard. Maddie was one of the few exceptions. She was sitting on the doorstep of the house while sharpening her Elvish sword. Ori was sitting next to her with a book.

Maddie had just finished sharpening, when Kili and Fili walked towards her. Maddie sighed again. Here we go again, she thought. Beorn had called her Little Bunny this morning and since then, the two princes had picked the name up to tease her with it. Probably this was going to be another teasing-session and Maddie mentally prepared herself for it.

The boys, however, just asked if she wanted to train with them. With a relieved sigh, Maddie replied: 'I'm afraid that I have but little skill with the blade, so I won't be any help in approving your skills as warriors.'

'But we can perhaps help you improve _your_ skill, Little Bunny,' Kili suggested.

Maddie first wanted to decline but then Fili and Kili put on their puppy eyes, so with a defeated sigh she yielded. 'Oke, but only if you stop calling me "Little Bunny" '.

'Oke, _Little Bunny_.' With a grin the princes turned around and walked back to their spot. Helplessly Maddie looked at Ori before standing up and following them.

First Kili and Fili showed her different positions and different angles which she could use to wound and kill her opponent. Then she engaged in a practice fight with Fili, who was the better swordfighter of the two. Kili was more a archer. As the fight began, she was vaguely aware of the fact that all the Dwarves had quitted their own practice to watch her fight.

During the fight the two gave her advice: Kili looked at her footwork while Fili looked if her angles with her sword were good. Maddie followed their advice, but also kept in mind the advice that Gwaine had once given her. Amongst other things, he had shown her his trick to steal the sword of your opponent. Maddie intended to use that trick to surprise Fili and get a small revenge for his and Kilis teasing. She was just waiting for the perfect opportunity.

And then it presented itself. Fili had just finished a series of attacks so she could practice her defense, and now it was her turn. After three side blows from the left and the right, she circled her sword around that of Fili and then swiped it up. Fili was forced to let go of his sword and Maddie quickly caught it. Now she had two swords, and she both putted them at Fili's neck. She then noticed Fili's surprised look. Of course he hadn't been expecting that move. Kili and the other Dwarves also looked surprised. Thorin had, apart from surprise, again that strange look on his face. Maddie ignored it again.

Maddie lowered the swords and returned Fili's blade to him.

'I thought you said you couldn't fight,' Kili said. He sounded a bit accusing.

Maddie shrugged. 'That's true, but if you recall correctly, I have once told you that my friend Gwaine has taught me a few tricks.'

'Then that Gwaine must be a great swordsman,' Dwalin remarked.

'He is,' Maddie agreed. 'He has even defeated Arthur a few times, who has been champion of Camelot for many a year.'

'Could you teach me how to do it?' Fili asked, genuinely interested.

'Of course,' Maddie replied. 'If you teach how you did that roll to avoid my swing.' Fili agreed and so they both would learn something new.

* * *

Thorin walked down the hallway trying to find his nephews. Gandalf and Beorn had returned from their walk and dinner was almost ready.

At the end of the hallway, he walked towards the he didn't know how maniest door. When he opened it, he saw Maddie sitting at a table with two little rabbits on her lap. She still hadn't noticed him, so he cleared his throat.

Maddie looked up with a twinkle in her eyes that made his heart beat faster (he was still trying to figure out why he was having this reaction when he was with Maddie. It wasn't like it happened with the others, so why with her?). 'Do you happen to know where my nephews are? Dinner is almost ready.'

Maddie stayed still for two seconds before bursting in a fit of laughter at his question. Confused, Thorin asked: 'Is there something… funny?'

Maddie tried to compose herself before answering: 'Oh yes, there _is_ something funny.' With a grin she looked back at the two rabbits. Thorin walked closer to have a better look at them. One of the bunnies was blond with long hairs. The other had short hairs and was brown.

Suddenly, it hit Thorin.

Maddie had turned his nephews into bunnies.

Maddie had turned his _nephews_ into _bunnies_.

'I'm sorry,' Maddie said, 'but they have been teasing me all day. They deserved it.'

Slowly, the twinkle in her eyes disappeared and she started to look worried. Thorin still had a look of shock on his face. Maybe she had gone too far? 'Thorin?'

Thorin stepped out of his state of shock and burst into laughter. He didn't think he had ever laughed so hard in his life.

Maddie had turned his _nephews_ into _bunnies_. It was just too funny.

Thorin's legs gave away, so he continued to laugh while lying on the ground.

When he finally contained himself a bit , he saw that Maddie was looking at him with big eyes.

'Forgive me,' he said while getting up, 'but that was the funniest thing I've ever seen.

Thank you for outpranking the biggest prankers of the universe.'

* * *

Balin, Beorn, Gandalf and the other Dwarves were waiting at the dining table until the four remaining persons would appear.

Finally Maddie and Thorin walked into the room. 'Sorry that we're late,' Maddie apologized.

'Not at all,' Balin said. 'But where are Fili and Kili? And what was that noise we heard?'

Maddie and Thorin shared a glance while grinning.

'Well actually…,' Thorin and Maddie began in unison.

Then they looked down at two cute little bunnies in their hands.

* * *

Two days later, after breakfast, Beorn gave the company ponies and food as much as they could carry. Maddie had enchanted her own bag, so it could contain a lot more food, but still felt very light. Beorn also gave advice for when they reached Mirkwood, a large forest that separated them from Erebor. They were to stay on the path and avoid touching the water of a magical river on the way. If anyone would touch it, they would fall asleep and never wake up again.

Fili and Kili were humans again. After the company had had their share of laughter, Maddie had turned the two brothers back, who were blushing really bad. At least they now didn't call Maddie "Little Bunny".

The ride to Mirkwood was but half a day and they had luck on their side, for they hadn't seen any sign of the Orcs.

When they reached Mirkwood, the company started to load off their baggage while Maddie and Gandalf wandered through the Elven Gate and landed on a small, round courtyard surrounded by Elven statues that were covered with most and ivy. At the opposite side of the Elven Gate on the courtyard began the Elven Path which they were meant to follow.

Gandalf walked towards one of the statues and pulled away some ivy. At the same moment Maddie's sight blurred and she saw a great eye, lidless and surrounded by flames.

As quick as the eye had appeared, it disappeared. Maddie looked at Gandalf who now stood beside her. 'Is it the ring?' he asked. Maddie nodded. The night before they had left Beorn, Maddie had talked in private with Gandalf about the ring she had found in the Goblin tunnels. Gandalf had agreed that it contained dark magic and advised her to keep it secret and not to use unless absolutely necessary. Now this ring had shown her a strange eye.

Maddie looked at statue where Gandalf had just pulled some ivy away and she froze. The statue was a female Elf and on her gown was the same eye painted in red paint that Maddie had seen just seconds ago. Gandalf followed her look, his eyes turned wide and he then ran back trough the gate towards the Dwarves, saying: 'Do not unpack my horse yet. I still need it.'

'You are not really leaving us, are you?' Dori asked while Maddie walked through the gate as well.

'I wouldn't do this unless I really had to,' Gandalf said as he climbed on his horse. 'We will meet again at the other side of Mirkwood, at the overlook, at the slopes of Erebor.' His gaze then turned on Maddie.

'Maddie, I hope you'll do your best to make sure these Dwarves make it to the other side. Make sure you don't leave the path and be aware of the river Beorn warned us about.'

Maddie nodded. 'I will do my best.'

The Dwarves and Maddie watched how Gandalf rode off and then started their journey through Mirkwood.


End file.
